On Sunday (14th December), the Ministry of Finance informed that the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has thwarted the smuggling of restricted red sanders worth ₹6.26 crore. The authorities seized 15 MTs of red sanders from multiple warehouses and arrested four persons. The arrested individuals include a key operative, his two associates involved in packing and transportation of red sanders, and a supplier-side intermediary.
Notably, the red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is an item listed in Appendix II of CITES and in Schedule-IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and prohibited/restricted for exports under the Foreign Trade Policy.
“Specific intelligence was developed by the officers of DRI that red sanders were being clandestinely secreted at various godowns in Chennai and its outskirts and the same are being attempted for export from Chennai via Delhi. Accordingly, DRI officers carried out coordinated systematic searches at three premises from 09.12.2025 to 11.12.2025,” a press release issued by the Ministry of Finance reads.
“A total of 169 red sanders logs of Grade A quality weighing 5.55 MT, out of which 76 logs were wrapped and concealed using white HDPE packing material and ready to be loaded onto a truck for transporting to Delhi for illicit export, with the cover cargo of ‘Household articles’ was recovered in one premises. The offending goods as well as the cover goods meant for illicit export were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962. In other two premises, 9.55MTs of red sanders in the form of logs, roots and furniture were recovered and seized,” it added.