Forest Department officials nabbed five smuggling operatives and recovered 25 red sanders logs from their vehicle near Anjaneyapuram check post in Renigunta mandal, situated on the outskirts of Tirupati.
Routine inspections
According to sources, the officials were conducting routine inspections at the check post, when the accused, which also included a woman, tried to drive their vehicle through the barricades, here on Saturday night.
The forest officials, with support from a few locals, managed to stop them, a few yards beyond the check post.
Subsequently, the officials managed to nab the accused and recovered 25 red sanders logs and the vehicle (bearing Tamil Nadu registration). Details of the accused, modus operandi and their network are yet to be ascertained.
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests B.K. Singh inspected the seized logs and the vehicle on Sunday morning.
