New Delhi, May 30 (Agency) Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recovered 14.63 mt of Red Sanders worth Rs 11.70 crore in international market, from a consignment that was stuffed at ICD Sabarmati, and which was to be exported to Sharjah, UAE. DRI said that it received some inputs that Red Sanders logs were concealed in an export consignment declared to contain “assorted toiletries”, for being smuggled out of the country. Accordingly, Operation Rakth Chandan was launched and close surveillance was kept on the suspected export consignment, Ministry of Finance, in a statement, said.
Acting on intelligence, the suspect container was scanned through a “container scanning device” which confirmed the presence of some goods in the shape of logs, and the absence of declared goods i.e. assorted toiletries. Accordingly, the container was examined by DRI, which revealed that it was fully stuffed with wooden logs of red colour that appeared to be Red Sandalwood. On de-stuffing, 840 wooden logs, having a total weight of 14.63 MT, were found in the container. No other goods were recovered. Preliminary examination of the wooden logs by Range Forest Officers confirmed that the logs are of Red Sandalwood, which is prohibited for export. Hence, the same were seized under provisions of Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation regarding domestic movement of the goods, their transportation and the exporter concerned is in progress, the statement said.