Over 2,000 logs of red sanders (sandalwood) estimated to cost several crores of rupees in the international market was seized from a godown in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh today, the police said.
Acting on the information provided by some arrested red sanders smugglers in Dhone town of Kurnool on March 1, the police raided a place on the outskirts of Veldurthy this morning and found a huge stock the precious wood, Kurnool Superintendent of Police K Raghuram Reddy told PTI.
"Counting of red sanders logs was still on. Forest department personnel were weighing more than 2,000 logs which have been seized from the godown. It is estimated to weigh over 40 tonnes. One kilogram of red sanders fetches around Rs 5,000 in the international market," the SP said.
The accused supplied the wood from the godown to places like Hyderabad, Bangalore and Delhi. Further investigation is on to nab more smugglers, including the kingpins, the SP said.
"The godown was made a dumping point and investigations revealed that the illegal activity was going on for the past two years," another police officer said, adding that so far four people, who were given Rs 10 lakh for each tonne of wood, as well as belong to Nellore, Ongole and Chennai, have been arrested.
Red sanders grows mainly in the Seshachalam hill ranges spread across Kadapa, Chittoor and Kurnool in the Rayalaseema region and parts of Nellore district in the state.
The wood has huge demand abroad, especially in China and Japan, where it commands a good price.
