International red sanders smuggler held in Andhra

The Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force has arrested international smuggler Mohammad Muzammil on Chittoor-Naidupet national highway. 

According to a statement issued by the office of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Environment and Forest K. Pawan Kalyan on Saturday (January 31), Muzammil used to smuggle red sandalwood from the Seshachalam forests via Bengaluru to China in collusion with a company there.

He is wanted by law enforcement agencies in multiple cases, and despite having been convicted in 87% of them, he had remained elusive for a long time. A task force team led by Additional SP J. Kulasekhar apprehended Muzammil based on a tip-off and found evidence of his close links with the Chinese company.

The press release said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had resolved to take stringent action against red sanders smugglers and expose the influential figures involved in the illegal trade, which threatened the ecology of the pristine Seshachalam forests and drained the public exchequer.

Mr. Pawan Kalyan was personally monitoring the manhunt for the smugglers. He warned that the government action against them would be merciless and advised them to surrender, the release said.