Andhra Pradesh: 12 red sanders smugglers held, Rs 29 lakh cash, 8 vehicles seized
ANANTAPUR: Kadapa district police on Tuesday nabbed 12 members of a gang of red sanders including two International smugglers and seven Interstate smugglers in the Railway Kodur area and seized Rs 29 lakh cash, six cars and two lorries being used for smuggling. The International smugglers were smuggling the logs from six ports in various parts of the country to Dubai, Singapore and other countries.
Kadapa SP Babuji Adda told media that Sethu Madhavan, native of Red Hills area in Chennai and Sheik Mubarak Ali from Pulal area in Chennai from Tamil Nadu were involved in large scale smuggling of of red sanders using locally available interstate smugglers. Following a tip of from recently arrested smugglers, the district police kept an eye on the movements of the most wanted smugglers. Madhavan alias Sethu was working as a driver before he became smuggler six years back and close aide of Dubai based smuggler Ali Bhai.
He is accused in 21 cases and has smuggled more than 360 tonnes of red sanders logs with the nexus of local smugglers. Similarly, Sheik Mubarak alias Mubarak who runs an exports and imports agency is involved in smuggling activities for the past seven years. “He transported more than 300 tonnes of red sander logs from Rayalaseema and is involved in 17 cases”, SP Mr Babuji Adda said.
The due used Chennai Port, Tuthukudu Port of Tamil Nadu, Trivandram Port in Kerala, Navasena Port Mumbai, Gandhi Dam Port and Kandla Port in Gujarat for the illicit transportation of logs. The smugglers would receive cash through hawala transactions. In addition, Shakti Vel , Krishna Kumar of Red Hills area in Chennai, Shiraj Beig of Kolar, Galla Udaya Bhaskar of Nellore and Sheik Khadar Bhasaha from Giddalure in Prakasam district, Puvvada Krishna from Rajampet in Kadapa were among other interstate smugglers nabbed during raids at Railway Kodur, Kadapa SP said. The police teams seized Rs 29 lakh cash, six cars and two trucks from the gang.
