Belthangady: Two arrested for smuggling red sanders, another absconding

Belthangady: A team of Bangalore CID Police Forest Mobile Squad (FMS) nabbed two accused while smuggling logs of red sanders (Rakta Chandana) near Venur here.

The arrested accused have been identified as Khalid a resident of Mavinakatte, Bantwal, and Deekshit, a resident of Guruwayavakere. Another accused identified as Santosh is absconding.

Several logs of red sanders weighing around 125 kg were seized from them. The vehicle used to transport red sanders has also been seized. The total value of the seized property is estimated to be over Rs 6.50 lakh.

The operation was carried out on a tip-off that red sandalwood was being illegally transported from Karimanelu in the Venur area of Belthangady taluk.

The arrested accused were handed over to the Venur Forest Department. The case has been handed over to the Venur Forest Department for further investigation, following which Venur Zonal Forest Officer Mahim Jannu’s team has taken up the case and produced the accused before the court.