Sixteen interstate smugglers were arrested in Chittoor and 160 kilograms of red sandalwood worth Rs 40 lakh was seized from their possession, police said on Wednesday.
Acting on tip-off Chittoor police while checking vehicles at the MCR Cross on Chennai-Bangalore Road at 6.30 AM found a car speeding from Chittoor towards Chennai.
The SUV was stopped and checked at the checkpoint and 5 red sandalwood logs were found in it, Chittoor District Additional Superintendent of Police (SP) Srilakshmi said.
It was also found that another vehicle, which was following the SUV contained 7 red sandalwood logs, the police official said. A case has been registered against the smugglers at Gudipala Police Station.
In December 2022, as many as seven persons were arrested for allegedly smuggling 30 red sandalwood logs, worth Rs 46 lakh, police said. The arrests were made during multiple raids in Tirupati.
The accused were illegally transporting red sandalwood logs to Tamil Nadu from Andhra Pradesh, the police further informed.
The police seized a truck, a car and a two-wheeler during different raids in Yarravari Palem village, Tulseeram added.
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