Red sandalwood worth Rs 1 crore 28 lakh seized

SNS, Siliguri, 25 December 2013: In a major haul, the Commissionerate of Customs Preventive and Intelligence (P&I), Siliguri, has seized red sandalwood worth around Rs 1 crore 28 lakh. The teak was impounded from a 10-wheeled lorry that was passing through the Fiubari-Ghospukur bypass. Two persons, including the lorry driver, were arrested in this connection last evening. Red sandalwood is scientifically known as Pterocarpus Santalinus L.
Both Niraj Kumar Pandey (21), the driver and Srinivas Kumar (24), are from Chapra in Bihar, it is learnt. The duo was produced at Siliguri Court today, “Based on a tip-off, the P&I officials intercepted the vehicle, bearing the number plate-NL 05D9187 and coming from Kolkata.
When the P&I officials approached them they showed receipt of potato consignment, saying that the potatoes, loaded in Punjab, would be unloaded in Guwahati. On being quizzed persistently, they admitted that the vehicle was carrying sandalwood. The P&I officials seized 248 pieces of red sandalwood, weighing around 6,400 kg. The wood was supposed to be smuggled to the Southeast Asian countries through Myanmar," said the central government standing counsel, Ratan Banik.
Mr Banik said the seized timber carries an international market price of around Rs 1 crore 28 lakhs. "Red sandalwood is used in the Southeast Asian Buddhist countries to make idols of the Buddha as well as for other religious activities, " he added.
Notably, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) had seized red sandalwood worth around Rs 1 crore from Ghoshpukur area in November. The P&I also seized 158 packets of potatoes and 114 packets of white powder used to gel the pieces together to reduce the sound of their movement to the minimum.
Siliguri has now emerged as a safe corridor for red sandalwood smuggling trade.
Those who know about the matter said the smugglers continue with their illegal trade while cocking a snook at the government, which has banned any trade of red sandalwood. “Siliguri corridor flanked by several international borders like those with Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar is proving for them a haven. The items reach their interested buyers in these countries through the corridor. These are routed from Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, in particular. Their preferred destinations are now the fringe areas of Bengal and the Northeast before being sent to the South East Asia,” said a source.