Three red sanders smugglers held, 108 logs seized in Anantapur

The Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) arrested three persons from Anantapur and seized 108 red sander logs and a car valued at around ₹2 crore from them.

Based on specific information, the Task Force officials raided a dump site on the outskirts of Bondalavada village in Anantapur district and unearthed the red sander logs.

According to RSASTF chief L Subbarayudu, the police apprehended the three accused as part of a special operation to curb red sanders smuggling. The accused have been identified as Nallani Nanda Kumar from Podaralla Post in Bukkarayasamudram mandal, Nallani Jaya Ramayya, and Bottu Raghavendra.

Acting on credible information received on Wednesday, the Task Force team and Forest Department personnel took the three into custody on the outskirts of Bondalavada village in Narpala mandal. “The accused formed a gang with the intention of felling red sandalwood trees, stockpiling the logs, and selling them for a high price to major smugglers from Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. They engaged labourers to cut the trees in Seshachalam forest and process them into logs,” the police said.

These logs were then stockpiled and hidden near a tin shed on a farm belonging to Jaya Ramayya, located along the dirt road connecting Bondalavada village to Bommalatapalli village within Durgam forest beat.

An investigation is under way to apprehend the key smugglers from Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Efforts are being made to identify and arrest other key masterminds behind the smuggling operation and special teams have been constituted for this, the police said.

Pawan responds

Responding to the arrest of red sander smugglers in Anantapur, Deputy Chief Minister (Forests) K. Pawan Kalyan said that steps were taken to ensure that the logs did not cross the State borders and also that illegal transportation networks were being dismantled through international coordination.

Mr. Pawan Kalyan said that as a result of the measures taken by the coalition government to prevent smuggling, there has been a 70% decline in illegal transportation of the logs over the last two years. He added that the government was firmly dealing with those caught in the illegal transportation cases.