Hyderabad: Task force of Hyderabad City Police in collaboration of Panjagutta police busted the racket of red sandalwood smuggling gang.
Addressing a press conference at Purani Haveli in Hyderabad, City Police Commissioner, Mr. Anjani Kumar informed that the value of the seized red sandalwood is about Rs 6 crore in international market.
The arrested persons are N. Radha Krishna (39) real estate businessman, resident of Krishna A partment, Ameerpet, native of Gopal Nagar, Anantapur, K Chandra (34), drive, natve of BJP colony, Bakaria Samndram. Anantapur, N.Chennaiah and R. Sivak Kumar.
These accused persons were shitting red sandalwood from Kadapa to Pedda shapur in R.R. District.
The kingpin of this racket has been reported to be N. Radha Krishna. He is a graduate. He was doing real estate, mining, coconut selling and other business but was unsuccessful.
Owing to financial worries, he started the business of smuggling red sandalwood. He bought this 2.5 tonnes of wood at the rate of 400 per kg and shifted it to Hyderabad. In order to store this wood, he hired a room from Siva Kumar in Pedda shahpur for Rs.10,000 per month.
The car which was transporting sandalwood had a fake registration number.
Police seized the wood, cell phone and other articles from the possessions of the accused.
Mr. Anjani Kumar told that it is the biggest scam unearthed so far.