Central Excise officials, Bellary division, led by Arvind Ghuge, Assistant Commissioner, seized 15 tonnes of red sander logs near Krishnagiri village in Kustagi taluk of Koppal district on Tuesday. The estimated value of the seized red sander logs was put at Rs. 7 crore. The driver of the lorry transporting the logs, Subbaraju, is being interrogated.
Mr. Ghuge told The Hindu that based on information that red sander logs were being transported to Mumbai for export, the team intercepted the lorry near Krishnagiri.
On verification, the team found that the logs were concealed with papaya fruit and fodder. Mr. Ghuge said that export of red sander has been banned. The logs are suspected to be from the Nallamalla forests in Andhra Pradesh. Red sander is available in large number in the forests of Kadapa and Chittor districts in Andhra Pradesh and also in parts of Kolar and Mandya districts in the State.
