10 tonnes of red sandalwood worth Rs 6 cr seized, 2 held

A joint team of the Delhi Police and the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) of Andhra Pradesh seized 10 tonnes of red sandalwood worth nearly Rs 6 crore and arrested two persons.

The sandalwood was allegedly stolen from Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh and illegally kept at a warehouse in Southeast Delhi, the police said.

The accused have been identified as Irfan, a resident of Toli Chowki, Hyderabad, and Amit Sampat, a resident of Sector 21, Navi Mumbai.

The case same to light after an FIR was registered at the Tirupati police station in August regarding the theft of red sandalwood logs. Two locals arrested by the Andhra Pradesh police disclosed that the logs had been transported to Delhi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said in a press conference.

The DCP said after around two months of chase, the accused - Irfan and Amit - were arrested on October 6 and the sandalwood logs were recovered from a godown in Tughlakabad village.

During interrogation, the accused confessed that they were planning to smuggle the logs to China and South Asian countries where it is highly valued for its medicinal properties, Tiwari added.

Further investigation was on to identify their other members, the DCP mentioned.