Mumbai: DRI seizes 8 MTs of Red Sanders wood valuing Rs 7.9 crores

The seized Red Sanders wood

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday said that it has seized around 8 MTs of Red Sanders wood near Mumbai valuing approximately Rs 7.9 crores in the illicit market.

In an official statement the DRI said that on basis of specific intelligence, the officers of DRI, Mumbai Zonal Unit mounted surveillance on a syndicate attempting to smuggle Red Sanders wood out of India by declaring the same as Granite marble slabs.

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The officials said that discreet watch was kept on loading of the contraband in the container. Once the goods entered the Nhava Sheva port (JNPT) for export, the container was intercepted. On examination, it was found that 6 tons of Red Sanders were concealed behind the polished granite slabs and cement bricks.

Red sanders is a protected species under CITES convention and export of the same is prohibited under the Customs Act, 1962.

"Based on the inputs gathered, follow up actions were initiated at Maharashtra's Ahmednagar, Nashik and Hyderabad. A search was conducted at a godown in Nashik, wherein 2 MTs Red Sanders were seized which were also supposed to be exported in coming days. The 6 MTs of red sanders seized at Nhava Sheva Port were stored and removed for export from the same godown. The IEC holder and the transporters were also successfully intercepted during the follow up action," an official said.

The DRI said that total approximately 8 MTs of Red Sanders having illicit market value of approximately Rs 7.9 crores were seized under the relevant provisions of the Customs Act.

Five members of the cartel including the exporter, the commission broker, the godown manager and the transporter were arrested. They have been remanded to judicial custody, the agency said.