An international racket of smuggling red sanders to Hong Kong via Hyderabad has been busted by the Cyberabad police leading to the arrest of five Chinese citizens and four employees of a courier company in the State capital.
While the nine accused were remanded in judicial custody, the Forest Department officials are racking their brains to catch the persons behind the racket.
Five days ago, Nacharam police were alerted of a courier service vehicle carrying boxes comprising banned goods.
Led by Inspector S. Ashok Kumar, the cops intercepted the T&T courier service vehicle. The driver told the police that he was returning a consignment to a client as it was rejected by authorities at the Shamshabad airport.
It was to be flown to Hong Kong.
The police found logs of red sanders inside. The driver professed innocence saying three Chinese nationals following him in another vehicle had booked the consignment.
Raid on a rented house
Police detained the three foreigners, and based on their feedback they raided a rented house in Tarnaka, where they found nearly two quintals of the wood. Two more Chinese were in the house at that time.
Consignment rejected at airport
The courier service manager said a client from China had booked a consignment of drive shafts and decorative films from Hyderabad to Hong Kong.
After the consignment was rejected at the airport, the courier agency contacted the Chinese, who asked them to return it to their agents.
The boxes were intercepted when the boxes were being returned.
“Apparently some smugglers from AP are supplying the wood to these foreigners, who are smuggling them abroad through courier agencies,” Hyderabad North Forest Range Officer M. Vijay Kumar said.
