DUBAI: Dubai is emerging as the hitherto unknown hub of red sanders smuggling network, as investigators here continue to probe deeper into a phenomenon that has ravaged the Seshachalam forests unhindered for decades.
The Chinese detainees, who have been grilled by the Task Force police who are cracking down on red sanders trade, have told their interlocutors that many of the truckloads of the contraband wood find their way to Dubai, mainly by sea.
Chittoor SP Ghattamaneni Srinivas said sea routes were an important piece of the jigsaw they had been trying to piece together ever since the crackdown began in April.
Officer said going by detained Chinese smuggler Chen Yi Fian, Dubai is a thriving hub of red sanders smuggling. “He [Chen] told media that during his visits to Dubai and Hong Kong, he noticed 800 tonnes of logs. That’s a huge amount. Even if that’s an exaggeration, there is a possibility of dumps with up to 300 tonnes in Dubai.” So far, red sanders detectives have unearthed several inter-State operations, including one that operates across Bhutan border.
