11 sand-laden trucks worth Rs 57 lakh seized

Mumbai: Cracking the whip against the sand mafia in the district, the Thane (rural) police impounded 11 sand-laden trucks in Kashimira and arrested more than a dozen people on charges of theft and illegal plundering of natural resources early on Thursday. There have been allegations related to the authorities’ apathy in curbing illegal sand-dredging and transportation activities.

Acting on a tip-off, the police team intensified its vigil on the highway and intercepted the sand-laden trucks near Ghodbunder around 3 am. The trucks were impounded after the drivers failed to show and documents related to permits and royalty.  According to the police, the value of the impounded trucks and sand equals to the sum of more than Rs 57 lakh. Revenue officials were roped in to register cases at the Kashimira police station against the accused including owners who have been charged under section 379 of the Indian Penal Code and section 48 (7) of the Maharashtra Land Revenue Code, 1966.

Not ruling out similar crackdowns and more arrests in these particular cases, ASP Atul Kulkarni said, “As of now, 11 people including the truck drivers and owners have been arrested and charged for theft, illegally dredging and ferrying the sand.” Despite judicial restrictions on sand mining activities, it was business as usual for the powerful sand mafia in Thane and Palghar district, as plundering natural resources by extracting huge quantities of sand continues unabated in Ghodbunder creek and other sand rich spots in the Vasai-Virar belt.”