The airport police on Sunday arrested four men suspected to be part of an inter-State sandalwood smuggling ring and recovered sandalwood worth ₹50,000 from them.
The accused have been identified as Venkatesh, 51, from Sira in Tumakuru; Venkataramana, 42, from Puttaparthi; Venkatesh Sanni, 28, from Nelamangala; and Anil Kumar, 42, from Sidlaghatta.
According to the police, the accused, on April 20, chopped off a fully grown sandalwood tree from a township at Sadahalli. Based on a complaint, the police analysed CCTV camera footage to identify the accused and arrested them.
The accused were produced before a court which remanded them in judicial custody. Further investigation is on to ascertain their criminal background.