Tassawur was arrested near the airstrip here yesterday and two statues of Lord Rama and Janki weighing around 25 kilogramme were recovered from his possession, they said.
The statues are worth Rs 25 crore in the international market, they said.
The accused has been sent to jail, police said, adding that efforts were being made to arrest his five associates.
'Ashtadhatu' is a combination of eight metals.