DRI Busts Red Sanders Smuggling Racket in Chennai
15 MTs of prohibited wood worth ₹6.26 crore seized; four arrested
- DRI seizes 15 MTs of red sanders worth ₹6.26 crore in Chennai
- Four persons arrested, including key operative and associates
- Smuggling attempt involved transport via Delhi for illegal export
- Red sanders is a protected species under CITES and Indian law
GG News Bureau
Chennai, 15th Dec: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has thwarted an organised attempt to illegally export restricted red sanders, seizing 15 metric tonnes of the prohibited wood valued at ₹6.26 crore in Chennai and arresting four persons in connection with the case.
Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Its export is prohibited or restricted under India’s Foreign Trade Policy.
According to officials, DRI officers developed specific intelligence indicating that red sanders was being clandestinely stored in various godowns in and around Chennai and was planned to be exported illegally via Delhi. Acting on the inputs, coordinated and systematic searches were conducted at three premises between December 9 and December 11, 2025.
During the operation, 169 Grade-A red sanders logs weighing 5.55 MT were recovered from one premises. Of these, 76 logs had been wrapped and concealed using white HDPE packing material and were ready to be loaded onto a truck for transportation to Delhi under the cover of “household articles.” The offending goods, along with the cover cargo, were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
In the other two premises, DRI officers recovered and seized an additional 9.55 MTs of red sanders in the form of logs, roots and furniture, taking the total seizure to 15 MTs.
The four arrested persons include the key operative of the racket, two associates involved in packing and transportation, and a supplier-side intermediary. Further investigation in the case is underway to trace forward and backward linkages.
The DRI said it remains committed to its relentless crackdown against organised smuggling networks that threaten India’s economic security and endanger the country’s rich biodiversity.
