Sandalwood smuggling racket busted, 8 held

Hyderabad, Police on Monday busted a racket of sandalwood smuggling with the arrest of eight members of an inter-state gang.

Additional DCP (Crime) G Janaki Sharmila of Cyberabad G Janaki Sharmila said policemen also seized 25.5 kg sandalwood worth Rs 1.5 lakh besides sale proceeds of the precious wood amounting to Rs 3.8 lakh from the gang members who operated in Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Based on a credible information about illegal possession and stock of sandalwood in a house at Shaheenagar, police teams raided the premises and nabbed eight persons. During questioning, they confessed to selling sandalwood without any valid trade licence, she said.

The gang members used to procure sandalwood logs from various places in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at low prices. The logs were then cut and supplied to Mumbai, Delhi and other places, she added.