During the last couple of weeks, senior officials of the AP forest department, based at Tirupati, are making desperate attempts to zero in on two kingpins in the smuggling of red sanders based in Tamil Nadu, but in vain.

According to official sources, the two kingpins, both belonging to the ruling AIADMK in TN, are residents of Tiruvannamalai district of that state. While one is based in Kannaman-galam town, the other is a former minister from the same district.

The officials said that during interrogation of the lower rung smugglers from Tamil Nadu, who had been caught in various parts of the Seshachalam hill ranges during the last one month, it was revealed that the two political leaders had made big money by enc-ouraging the labour force from Vellore to Tirunelveli.

The duo would send the coolies (though they are termed as smugglers in AP) to the forests abundant with red sanders in Chittoor, Ne-llore and Kadapa districts.

Taking some money as advance from indirect sour-ces, the labourers would engage themselves in felling the trees and cutting the precious wood into various sizes. The kingpins also supply vehicles to smuggle the wood.

It is estimated that the Tiruvannamalai duo may have made transactions worth around Rs 100 crore with the smugglers during the last two years.

Last week, some officials reached Tiruvannamalai and conducted a recce for the arrest of one of the kingpins. However, the officials realized that it would be highly risky to make any attempt at an arrest as the kingpins wield enormous political and official clout in their respective areas.

“As they belong to the ruling party in TN, and hold sway over scores of villages on the AP-TN border, it would not be that easy to arrest them. It is certainly a tough task. We have no fir-earms and we are at the me-rcy of the police department,” a senior official said.

Meanwhile, the officials have informed the matter to their state-level bosses, who in turn are chalking out a plan of action to swoop on the duo.

“If required, we will seek the help of the Central authorities. Though our counterparts in TN are willing to help us in our mission, somehow, they are wary of the duo’s clout,” a senior forest official said.

Red sanders worth over Rs 1 crore seized, 10 held

The Tirupati wildlife personnel seized a lorry conta-ining five-and-a-half tonnes of red sanders logs, worth over Rs 1.25 crores at a forest location near Srivari Met-tu, 20 km from Tirupati in the early hours of Sunday.

Acting on a tip-off, the flying squad seized the vehicle which was loaded fully and ready for departure towards Chennai.

On seeing the raid party, the smugglers fled into the thick forests under the cover of darkness.
In another incident, the Tirupati urban police arrested a seven-member gang at Tirupati outskirts, involved in the red sanders smuggling and seized three lorries and two cars used for the clandestine transport of the precious wood.

Earlier, the gang had lifted the heavy vehicles and cars in and around Tirupati three months ago. Red sander logs worth Rs 2 lakh were also seized, along with Rs 1.5 lakh in cash.

Meanwhile, the 10 persons from Tamil Naidu arrested on Saturday night,confessed before police during interrogation that they had come to Tirumala hills for felling and smuggling red sanders.