Mumbai: A Mumbai crime branch (CB) team intercepted a tempo in Mankhurd and seized 1.34kg of red sanders worth Rs 1.34 crore that were illegally being smuggled out of the country from Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT). The police said the seized contraband consisted of 53 logs of red sanders that was kept in a pair and was allegedly smuggled from outside Mumbai.
Acting on a tip-off, officials of unit 7 of the CB laid a trap on the Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link road and intercepted the tempo.
The arrested accused were identified as Bhausaheb Bhosade (34) and Afsar Phoolwale (35), who said that the sanders were on their way to Gulf countries.
“The accused are being questioned to find out their accomplices in this racket. A background check is being carried out to verify if the accused indulged in similar activities in the past,” said a CB officer.
Following the seizure, a team of the forest department also checked and verified the sanders and after the required tests, a case was filed with the Mankhurd police station.
The accused duo and their unknown accomplices have been booked under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Forest Act and have been remanded to police custody till December 7 for further investigation.
In another incident, a team of crime branch busted a racket for smuggling 600kg of red sanders worth '3.05 crore from cargo at Mumbai international airport on November 12. It was the second biggest seizure
by crime branch this year.
