The Chittoor Task Force police on Sunday night and in the early hours of Monday nabbed four most wanted red sanders smugglers in Chittoor district and seized 3 SUVs and 28 red sanders logs worth over Rs. 50 lakh from their possession.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Red Sanders Operations) Ms. Y. Ratna said the Task Force squads, while making regular checks at Piler, nabbed Safdar Shariff, 29, of Bharashankari locality of Bengaluru in Karnataka.
A school dropout at Class II, Shariff has been into red sanders smuggling since 2013, with close links with big hands in South India, Mumbai, Delhi and overseas.
He had smuggled over 100 tonnes out of Rayalaseema region so far. Wanted in as many as 15 red sanders cases in Chittoor district, his assets were estimated at Rs 10 crores.
The Task Force also arrested Mirja Baig alias Khan, 39, of Uthukota area of Bengaluru in Karnataka.
He was arrested under the Chittoor One-Town police station limits.
He is into the clandestine red sanders smuggling since 2013, having assets to the tune of Rs 5 crore.
The two others who were arrested are A. Kamal Kishore alias Kamal, 32, of Chittoor and P. Peru Swamy of Gowrishankarapuram of Bangarupalem mandal of Chittoor district.
