NEW DELHI: A Red Sanders smuggler was was arrested from Pitampura in north Delhi today and sandal wood weighing more than 1700 kg, worth more than Rs. 1 crore in the international market was seized from his possession.
“Based on a tip-off, police laid a trap near Thomson Road and arrested Sanjay Kumar Nirwan (48). On suspicion, four rickshaws loaded with some logs and goods wrapped in jute sheets and plastic bags were stopped,” police said.
“Immediately the Forest Department officials were called up and they identified the wood to be red sanders,” said police.
Red sanders is largely smuggled to south Asian countries.
Nirwan, a resident of Pitampura is a college drop-out and works as an inter-state transport agent, said DCP (central) Parmaditya.
During interrogation, Nirwan disclosed that he used to send sandal wood to East Indian cities. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Indian Forest Act, police added.
