Bengaluru police seize over 1,000 kg of red sandalwood worth ₹1 crore, recover 3 vehicles

During interrogation, the accused admitted to illegally selling red sandalwood.

Bengaluru Police have seized 1,143 kilograms of red sandalwood and three vehicles worth around ₹1 crore, and arrested a man involved in an inter-state smuggling operation spanning Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, officials said.

Acting on the tip-off, police raided the spot and arrested a man.(PTI)

The case came to light on November 7 when officers from Hulimavu Police Station received a complaint about a car parked illegally near Gottigere Lake on Bannerghatta Main Road. Acting on the tip-off, police raided the spot and arrested a man, news agency ANI reported.

During interrogation, the accused admitted to illegally selling red sandalwood. Police initially recovered 95 kilograms of the wood and a car from his possession and registered a case under the Forest Act. He was remanded to police custody for 20 days on November 8.

Further questioning revealed that the accused and his accomplices had been sourcing red sandalwood at low prices from Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh and selling it at higher rates in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. He also provided details about the suppliers.

Acting on this information, police carried out multiple raids, recovering a total of 1,143 kilograms of red sandalwood and three vehicles. The major seizures included 316 kilograms and one car in Chinnakandili village, Tamil Nadu; 496 kilograms and another car in Kulumepalya; and 236 kilograms brought to the police station by a juvenile in conflict with the law.

The total estimated value of the seized wood and vehicles is approximately ₹1 crore. The accused was presented in court again on November 26 and remanded to judicial custody. Police continue to search for his absconding accomplices and are conducting further investigations.

(With ANI inputs)