Tamil Nadu Forest Department Seizes 450 Kg of Red Sanders Worth ₹20 Lakh in Vellore

The Hindu•Published: Oct 12, 2026 12:24 AM IST

The Forest Department and local police seized approximately 450 kg of red sanders valued at ₹20 lakh during a targeted vehicle check in Vellore district. Six individuals from tribal hamlets operating as woodcutters were arrested and subsequently lodged at the Central Prison in Vellore.

Operation Details: Authorities intercepted eight wooden logs of red sanders during surprise checks at Panamadagi village on the Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh border.
Suspect Identities: The six arrested smugglers were identified as B. Ellumalai, T. Appasamy, R. Prasanth, U. Srinivasan, J. Perumal, and K. Vishnu.
Legal Action: Following the seizure of the illegal timber, a formal case was registered and the recovered logs were officially handed over to the Forest Department.

The Context & Background

This law enforcement action stems from intelligence gathered by Superintendent of Police N.U. Sivaraman regarding illegal timber smuggling rings operating across state borders. Red sanders are heavily regulated and sought after in illicit international markets, prompting increased surveillance by regional authorities.

Why it matters:The illegal harvesting and smuggling of endangered red sanders heavily threatens regional biodiversity and fuels illicit trafficking networks across state borders. This successful operation highlights ongoing law enforcement efforts to curb environmental crimes and dismantle illegal timber syndicates in southern India.

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