Kerala: 100 kg sandalwood seized, five held

Kochi, Dec 21: Police seized nearly 100 kg of sandalwood worth at least Rs two lakh and arrested five people in this connection at Thripunithura near here late last night.

Five youth, hailing from Alappuzha district in Kerala, were arrested near the Poornatrayeesa temple at Thripunithura at about 2300 hrs as they were bringing the sandalwood load in a Tata Sumo for selling it to a local shop.

The arrested youth were identified as Shabilas (26), Ratheesh(23) and Danish (23) Ejaz (22) and Suneesh (22).

On a tip-off, a team of the Thripunithura Hill Palace police, led by Sub-Inspector Shiju, laid the trap.

Police said they were on an alert for illicit sandalwood sale in the area after seizing narly 300 kg of sandalwood last month.

The five would be produced in a court in Ernakulam later today.

UNI