The Srirangapatna police arrested two persons on Saturday on the charge of smuggling red sanders.
The police raided a place near Nelemane and arrested Mohammed Irfan Rafik (38) of Shimoga and Khijer Ahmed Kamar Pasha (29) of Srirangapatna.
The police seized 105 kg of red sanders from them, Mandya Superintendent of Police, Bhushan Gulabrao Borase said. Its value, according to the price fixed by Forest Department officials, has been estimated at Rs. 1.5 lakh.
From reserve forest
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police M.S. Geetha, the duo had cut down a red sander tree in the Shettyhalli reserve forest on the outskirts of Srirangapatna town.
The arrested were produced before a local court in Srirangapatna. They have been remanded in judicial custody, the Srirangapatna police said.
