KADAPA | Nov 23, 2016: The police on Wednesday arrested 53 red sanders smugglers and coolies while they were transporting the prized wood in various parts of Kadapa district. The police seized three vehicles, 26 cell phones and red sanders logs from the possession of the accused.

This is the biggest clamp down on red sanders smugglers in Rayalaseema district in recent past. The police-forest teams conducted surprise checks at a number of places abutting the forests in Kadapa district. The raids were carried out at Kalikiri, Maddanur, Yerraguntla, Kondapuram and Kadrivaripalle in the forest belt.

Smuggling of red sanders logs continue unabated in Chittoor, Kadapa and Nellore districts despite several crackdowns by police and forest teams. In fact, the state government has formed a special task force team to curb the menace. Red sanders is a highly endangered tree that lives only in Seshachalam forests. It is protected under an international treaty. The red sanders logs command a high price in the international market and smugglers often attack forest officials during surprise checks.

The state government has taken a number of measures to curb the menace but in vain. The jails in Kadapa and Chittoor districts are full of people arrested on the charge of smuggling red sanders.

(Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/)