Red sanders logs worth Rs.4.5 crore seized in Coimbatore

The consignment was to have been routed to China

ILLEGAL CARGO: Logs of red sanders worth Rs 4.5 crore were found in a container in Coimbatore on Monday.

Sleuths of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Monday seized 10 metric tonnes of red sanders worth Rs 4.5 crore stocked in a container.

The consignment was about to be routed via Tuticorin port and Dubai and finally to China.

Following information, the DRI sleuths team comprising N. Arunaasalam, A. Shamugaraj and P. Kannapiran maintained vigil. The teams came across a container kept on the bypass road near the Inland Container Depot.

The red sanders logs were covered with poly propylene woven fabrics as outer cover.

Guidelines

DRI sources said that red sanders are normally grown in Andhra Pradesh, Northern Tamil Nadu and Vellore. Growing and cutting of red sanders are strictly subject to the guidelines of the Forest Department.

Red sanders are increasingly used for making cosmetics, musical instruments and costly furniture meant for star hotels abroad.

As a result of the growing market, gangs involved in felling and smuggling of red sanders are always in constant conflict with the police and forest department.

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence sleuths are now probing to ascertain the source of the red sanders, consignor and consignee.