A special team of the Coimbatore city police on Monday seized 1,051 kg of sandalwood at Attur near Salem. The consignment, smuggled from Malappuram in Kerala to Tamil Nadu, was seized from a truck laden with briquettes.
Assistant Commissioner of Police S. Karikal Pari Shankar said that the truck driver, T.K. Manojkumar of Pathanamthitta district in Kerala, did not stop when the police signalled him for vehicle check at Vellalore Pirivu on Salem – Kochi highway in the early hours of Monday.
As the vehicle sped away, the police team headed by Sub-Inspector Jecis Udhayaraj traced its route and followed it. The police intercepted the vehicle at Attur near Salem. On checking, sandalwood wrapped in 57 gunny bags was found hidden in a secret chamber close to the driver’s cabin. The remaining portion of the truck was filled with gunny bags containing briquettes.
“The seized sandalwood has been handed over to the Forest Department for further investigation,” said Mr. Shankar.
S. Ramasubramanian, Conservator of Forests and Field Director of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve, said the seized consignment was heartwood of sandalwood, the innermost dark and hardened part, which is readied by chiselling and removing the outer layer called sapwood.
District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj said that a wildlife offence report would be registered by the Madukkarai forest range office for further investigation. He added that the value of the consignment was yet to be fixed as the quality of wood in each bag might vary.
A. Natesan, Inspector of Sundarapuram police station, said City Police Commissioner V. Balakrishnan and Deputy Commissioner of Police K. Shanmugam formed the special team after four incidents of sandalwood felling were reported within the jurisdiction of the Podanur police station. The special team has been following up various leads to crack down on the network involved in illegal sandalwood trade
SI Udhayaraj said that the police managed to track the vehicle and apprehend the driver by 11 a.m. on Monday. As the vehicle check took place within the jurisdiction of Madukkarai forest range, the police alerted Forest Range Officer P. Santhiya about the seizure.
The driver told the police that he was entrusted with the work of taking the truck to Chennai. However, police and the Forest Department officials suspect that the destination of the consignment could also be outside Tamil Nadu.
