The Forest Department has formed a special team to investigate the smuggling of 1,051 kg of sandalwood from Kerala to Tamil Nadu.
S. Ramasubramanian, Conservator of Forests and Field Director of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, said a team headed by Assistant Conservator of Forests M. Senthil Kumar will investigate the smuggling of the sandalwood, estimated to be worth over ₹1 crore.
“The team will trace the source of the sandalwood and the intended buyer. It is one of the biggest seizures of sandalwood in the recent past,” he said.
The special team on Wednesday questioned T.K. Manojkumar of Kerala, the driver of the truck which carried the sandalwood in a hidden compartment.
The police seized the truck from Attur in Salem around 11 a.m. on Monday, after the driver did not stop the vehicle at Vellalore Pirivu on Salem – Kochi highway during checking in the early hours of the day.
The sandalwood packed in 57 gunny bags were found hidden in a secret chamber close to the driver’s cabin of the truck that was heading from Malappuram in Kerala towards Chennai. The remaining portion of the truck was filled with gunny bags containing briquettes.
The police had handed over the sandalwood, the driver and the vehicle to the Forest Department.
