Bengaluru Police seize red sandalwood worth Rs 1.75 crore, five arrested in smuggling bust

Bengaluru: In a major breakthrough against inter-state smuggling, Bengaluru Police have seized red sandalwood worth Rs 1.75 crore and arrested five individuals involved in transporting the logs.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, police teams intercepted vehicles carrying the illegal timber in the Hulimavu and RT Nagar police station limits. The consignments were being smuggled in from Andhra Pradesh, officials said on Thursday.

According to City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, the red sandalwood logs were being moved to different destinations, one consignment headed toward Tamil Nadu, while the other was bound for Bengaluru.

A total of four vehicles used in the operation have also been confiscated. Police said investigations are underway to identify the wider network behind the smuggling racket and determine additional routes and accomplices.

(with inputs from agencies)