Smugglers have taken to innovative techniques to sell inferior quality red sanders to buyers, say forest department officials.
Officials pointed out that high quality red sanders grows naturally only in the forests of Andhra Pradesh. In Tamil Nadu, the department has raised red sanders in plantations in Tiruvallur, Vellore, Hosur, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai districts. However, the quality of wood there is far inferior to that in the neighbouring State.
Smugglers, while trying to sell the wood from Tamil Nadu, make it a point to arrange the transaction only at night. Often, during a deal, they arrange for their accomplices to pass by in a vehicle fitted with a siren. The smugglers then threaten the buyers with the arrival of the police and manage to pressurise them into buying the inferior-quality wood for a higher price, sources said.
The quality of the wood is determined by the nature of wavy grains in it. Thicker wavy grained-wood is categorised as B grade and thinner wavy grained-wood as C grade. However, no grains are found in the wood raised in Tamil Nadu. Hence, the wood are not in demand for export, the officer pointed out.
Wood seizedMeanwhile, on Saturday, the city police seized seven tonnes of red sanders from a lorry, while it was bringing a consignment for measurement to a weighbridge near Manali. Four persons were arrested. Further investigation is on.
