Patan, Gujarat, December 14, 2024: In a major breakthrough, the Andhra Pradesh Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (AP RSASTF), with the assistance of local Gujarat police, seized 155 logs of red sandalwood weighing a total of five tonnes in Patan, Gujarat. The seized logs are valued at approximately ₹10 crores in the international market. The authorities also arrested three smugglers involved in the illegal trade and confiscated a Brezza car from them.
The arrested individuals are set to be presented in the local Patan court in Gujarat, after which they will be handed over to Andhra Pradesh authorities under a transit warrant for further legal proceedings. The seized red sandalwood logs will be transported to Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, as part of the ongoing investigation.
Minister Nara Lokesh took to the social media platform X to praise the successful operation. He pointed out that during the previous government’s tenure, there were instances when smugglers were allowed to freely transport the state’s precious natural resources, including red sandalwood. Lokesh emphasized that under the current coalition government, led by N. Chandrababu Naidu, such smuggling activities have become nearly impossible. He commended the efforts of the AP RSASTF team, the Intelligence Department, and other agencies involved in protecting the state’s natural resources.
