Red sandalwood: Cops arrest notorious international smuggler

New Delhi, Sept 21: In a major breakthrough an international operative smuggling red sandalwood has been arrested in New Delhi. The special unit, Kadapa Red Sanders' Anti Smuggling Force tracked down Badrul Hasan to New Delhi and arrested him.

Red sandalwood logs worth Rs 16 crore were also seized from him.

Acting on a tip off a team of five officers left for New Delhi before arresting Hasan a notorious smuggler of red sandalwood. He had stocked the logs in a go-down in New Delhi and on estimation the police found that the loot was around Rs 16 crore.

The international operations

The Andhra Pradesh government is on a warpath when it comes to curbing red sandalwood smuggling activities. The arrest of Hasan is a major victory of the AP government as he held the key to the red sandalwood reaching international destinations.

Hassan who goes by the alias, Hasan Bhai would coordinate between the smugglers in the Seshachalam forests of AP and then move the loot to international destinations such as China.

Explaining the modus operandi an official said that the logs would first be moved to Tamil Nadu or Maharashtra. From there it would be moved to New Delhi and kept in a go-down for several days.

Only once a tip off would be received in which it would be stated that the international borders are safe would the loot be moved, the officer also explained.

Hasan according to the police would wait at New Delhi for the loot to reach. His job was to safeguard the loot before it could be smuggled out of India. His main area of operations were Nepal and China, the police have also learnt. Each log would be sold for Rs 1 crore in the international market the police have also learnt.

OneIndia News