Tirupati: Though Andhra Pradesh Red Sanders’ Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) has been tightening its vigil, with advanced informer network and latest technology, to curb smuggling activity, it seems the smugglers have been updating their strategies regularly to get away from the forces.
Recently, new strategies that were being adopted by the smugglers were exposed on several occasions, after the task force teams found vehicles which were either stac-ked with logs or stalled at the parking areas of TTD run pilgrim amenity complexes, choultries and other pioneer areas in Tirupati.
Until now, the smugglers used to effectively assemble in abandoned places close to the forest area, before entering the forests. However, now it has become difficult for the smugglers, as the forces can find them the minute they reach the forest periphery.
To evade these risks, the smugglers are moving to their assembling points in the parking areas at TTD’s pilgrim amenities’ complex and other pioneer stations which were the key territories closer to the forest areas and they dependably stay among the devotees. These crowded areas were made simple for the red sanders smugglers who pose themselves as devotees and further, leave their vehicles alongside the pilgrims to trick the task force teams.
On January 8, the RSASTF found a vehicle used for smuggling of red sanders logs at the parking area in TTD’s Srinivasam complex.
The task force had found the vehicle in which the marks of logs were seen, with the help of a sniffer dog named Ganga. They also informed the vigilance and security wing of the TTD to tighten the security and increase the vigil, on the parking areas, in its pioneer buildings. After exposing the new strategies of smugglers using these parking areas, TTD vigilance wing alerted its sleuths and have now increased the vigil.
However, RSASTF IG Dr. M. Kantha Rao said that the task force teams are idealised in finding the smugglers to thwart their attempts to venture into the woods, as the teams have earned experience, which was picked up from the past three years with continuous combing operations in the woods and outside areas. “The task force has advanced its surveillance system and improved the informer network at the roots of villages in Tamil Nadu from where the smugglers and woodcutters come. Though the smugglers found new strategies and applies tactics to smuggle red sanders logs, we are confident that their plans will be foiled,” he maintained at a recent occasion.
TTD parking areas used to shift red sanders logs
Apart from using the parking areas at TTD run complexes and choultries, the red sanders smugglers were found to be changing their attire and disguising themselves as common devotees to evade the task force.
In recent times, the task force had nabbed several woodcutters from Tamil Nadu, who reached here in the guise of devotees, wearing some traditional outfits and formal wear.
In a bid to curb the smuggling activities, the AP Red Sanders’ Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) has strengthened its operations by adapting latest technology equipment, including Global Positi-oning System (GPS), Fingerprint Identifica-tion Networking System (FINS) and tower dumping etc. In addition, dog squ-ads were also roped in and this created panic among the smugglers to turn themselves down in venturing into the forests to cut down trees.
Now, to evade the task force outside the forest areas, the smugglers were reaching here in traditional and formal outfits.
It was found that the smugglers change the outfits after reaching the forest periphery and venture into it in regular outfits. Recently, several smugglers, who used to adapt the disguise tactics, were caught by the task force teams.
On the other hand, it was learnt that the smugglers have chan-ged their old transportation routes towards Tamil Nadu and are now heading towards Bengaluru to shift the logs.
In view of regular patrolling on the national highways that lead to Tamil Nadu, the smugglers are reportedly choosing the routes, crossing small villages across the district.
Meanwhile, it was observed that the smugglers have stopped engaging heavy vehicles and have now replaced them with posh Sedans and SUVs, taking small quantum of logs.
