A Red Sanders smuggler was was arrested from Pitampura area here today and sandal wood weighing more than 1700 kg, worth more Rs one crore in the international market was seized from his possession.
"Based on a tip-off, police laid a trap near Thomson Road and arrested Sanjay Kumar Nirwan (48). On suspicion, four rickshaw loaded with some logs and goods wrapped in jute sheets and plastic bags were stopped," police said.
"Immediately the Forest Department officials were called up and they identified the wood to be red sanders," said police.
According to police sources, the value of the seized red sanders would exceed Rs one crore in he international black market. Red sanders is largely smuggled to south Asian countries.
Nirwan, a resident of Pitampura is a college drop-out and works as an inter-state transport agent, said DCP (central) Parmaditya.
During interrogation, Nirwan disclosed that he used to send sandal wood to East Indian cities. He has been booked under relevant sections of IPC and Indian Forest Act, police added.
