8 logs of high quality red sanders seized from Asola, one held

The seized wood logs, worth around ₹50 lakh in the Indian market and ₹2 crore in international markets, were to be supplied to China through an agent based in Nepal, the police said.

Eight logs of red sander wood weighing around 572kg, smuggled into Delhi from the hilly, wooded areas bordering Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, were seized from a godown in south Delhi’s Asola village, the police said on Wednesday.

Wildlife expert Faiyaz A Khudsar said red sanders is a rare wood that is in high demand internationally, with major markets for the wood being China, Japan, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal. (HT Photo)

The police have also arrested a 41-year-old man from Darjeeling in West Bengal, identified as Amit Verma alias Bobby, for allegedly smuggling red sanders into Delhi and other cities across the country to further sell it off to clients based in Nepal and China.

The seized wood logs, worth around ₹50 lakh in the Indian market and ₹2 crore in international markets, were to be supplied to China through an agent based in Nepal, the police said.

The accused was booked under sections 379 (theft), 411 (dishonestly receiving stolen property) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Indian Forest Act, deputy commissioner of police (crime) G Ram Gopal Naik said.

“We are now looking for a Noida resident who was involved in the illegal trade, along with Verma. A cousin and a neighbour of Verma were also arrested by our team in September last year for smuggling,” Naik said.

Wildlife expert Faiyaz A Khudsar said red sanders is a rare wood that is in high demand internationally, with major markets for the wood being China, Japan, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal.

“The wood is protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It is among the specified endemic plants mentioned in Schedule 6 of the Act that are prohibited from cultivation and planting. Its primary use is medicinal, religious, decorative and ornamental,” Khudsar said.

DCP Naik said illegal trade of red sanders, which grows abundantly in the hilly and forested areas bordering Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, has led to several deaths in encounters between alleged poachers and law enforcement agencies.

The police said the arrest was made after they received information regarding storage of red sander wood in a godown that was taken on rent by Verma. The police team caught him and raided the godown.

“Eight red sanders logs were concealed under scraps of clothes in the godown. A wildlife inspector inspected the seized logs and identified it as red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus). They are of superior quality,” Naik said.

The police said Verma used to run a shoes showroom in Siliguri, West Begal. But due to huge losses in the business, Verma moved to Delhi and began smuggling red sanders wood, a police officer said.