The Pimpri-Chinchwad Crime Branch seized over 15 tonnes of red sandalwood while it was being smuggled to Mumbai from Bengaluru, officials said on Monday. The incident took place on Sunday evening at the Urse toll naka, they added.
According to an official, a crime branch team led by senior inspector Vijay Dhamal laid a trap at Urse toll naka on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. After spotting a suspicious vehicle, they found red sandalwood in it.
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Dhamal said his team got a tip-off about the smuggling of red sandalwood from Karnataka to Mumbai. "We noticed the suspicious container truck at the Urse toll naka. When we checked it, we found about 15 tonnes of red sandalwood inside," he added.
Dhamal further said that prima facie investigation revealed that the wood was to be smuggled outside the country.
"The value of the seized red sandalwood is being ascertained. Prima facie, its value is estimated to be about Rs 10 crore," he concluded.
The police have detained the truck's driver and cleaner.
Further investigation is underway.
