Red sanders "smuggler" arrested

Kadapa (AP), May 26: An alleged red sanders smuggler was arrested by Kadapa Special Task Force (STF) in Delhi on Monday, a police official said today.

The accused Mani Annan, alias Maniappa, was brought to Kadapa today. "This is another prize catch by Kadapa police and it is a major breakthrough for the special teams. Mani Annan, a native of Red Hills in Chennai city, has been engaged in red sanders smuggling for the past ten years and has a vast network across the country as well as in the international market," Kadapa Superintendent of Police Naveen Gulati said.

He said Annan "has links with all major red sander smugglers in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and he used to send the smuggled goods to China, Nepal, Burma, Singapore and Japan through various means. He is the key player in money transfers and in financial dealings of the smugglers."

Based on the information given by Bode Venkataramana and two other alleged smugglers, who had been recently apprehended, special teams succeeded in arresting alleged smugglers Mukesh Badani and Mani Annan, the SP said. The accused was brought from Delhi by air to Chennai on Monday and to Kadapa on a transit warrant. Later, he was produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class at Kodur, who remanded him in fourteen days judicial custody.

PTI