Hyderabad: Red sanders smuggling racket busted, 500 kgs of wood seized

Hyderabad: The Commissioner’s Task Force, South Zone Team, Hyderabad in coordination with Kanchanbagh Police and Forest Department Officers unearthed an interstate red sanders smuggling gang on Tuesday.

Police apprehended four people and seized red sanders wood logs weighing about 500 kgs worth 75 lakhs at the instance of the accused. A case has been registered under Kanchanbagh police station 253/2022. Sections imposed against the culprits include 447, 427, 379, 120-B, 109 r/w 34 IPC, Sec. 20(1)(C)(iii)(iv)(vi)(x), 27(2)(i), 29(2)(b), 29(4)(a)(i), 32(A) of TS Forest Act-1967 Amendment Act-2016, Rule (3) of TS Red Sander Wood Transit Rule of 1969, Sec. 3 of PDPP Act-1984, and Sec. 55 (2) of Bio diversity Act-2002.

The accused arrested were identified as Ravi Chandra, Shaik Abdullah (42 years), a real estate businessman, Mujahideen (41 years) a canal construction worker, Inayat Khan (44 years), and Abdul Khader (42 years), a real estate businessman. The accused belong to the state of Andhra Pradesh, Kurnool and Nagarkool and one of the five accused is absconding.

The main accused Shaik Abdullah had earlier conducted an ice cream business in Proddatur. He later entered into the real estate business after a huge loss in Andhra Pradesh and the Telangana state. Due to financial crises in his business, he hatched a plan to procure and sell the red sander wood illegally to recover from his financial crises and to earn quick money, the police said in a press note.

On a tip-off, the gang members came to Hyderabad to show the sample of red sanders to customers near Midhani bus depot, Kanchanbagh. 

Eventually, the Commissioner’s Task Force, South Zone Team along with Kanchan bagh Police apprehended all the accused and seized Red Sander logs. The arrested accused and seized property was handed over to SHO Kanchanbagh PS for further investigation.