Attempt to smuggle willow cleft out of state foiled

Excise Department sleuths today foiled an attempt to smuggle out a truckload of willow cleft from Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The sleuths seized a truck laden with willow clefts that was being smuggled out of the state, an official spokesman said.
The consignment was being taken into Punjab.
Export of willow cleft, which is used for manufacturing cricket bats, is banned in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The vehicle, along with the seized willow clefts, has been handed over to the Forest Protection Force for further investigation, he said.
The spokesman said in 2015-16, a total of 26,359 willow clefts has been seized as compared to 4,550 in 2014-15.