Cops seize 15 tonnes of smuggled red sandalwood at Urse toll plaza, 2 detained

Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad crime branch on Sunday evening seized over 15 tonnes of red sandalwood on the expressway while it was being smuggled to Mumbai from Bengaluru in Karnataka.A crime branch team led by senior inspector Vijay Dhamal laid a trap at Urse toll plaza on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and seized the red sandalwood, which was being transported in a container. "We detained the container truck's driver and cleaner for questioning," Dhamal said.The officer 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 toll plaza. When we checked it, we found about 15 tonnes of red sandalwood inside," said Dhamal.He added that prima facie investigations 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 about Rs 10 crore. Our investigation is on," Dhamal said. Pune: The Pimpri Chinchwad crime branch on Sunday evening seized over 15 tonnes of red sandalwood on the expressway while it was being smuggled to Mumbai from Bengaluru in Karnataka.A crime branch team led by senior inspector Vijay Dhamal laid a trap at Urse toll plaza on the Pune-Mumbai Expressway and seized the red sandalwood, which was being transported in a container. "We detained the container truck's driver and cleaner for questioning," Dhamal said.The officer 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 toll plaza. When we checked it, we found about 15 tonnes of red sandalwood inside," said Dhamal.He added that prima facie investigations 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 about Rs 10 crore. Our investigation is on," Dhamal said.
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