Palakkad: A scrap dealer was arrested on Wednesday over the charge of sandalwood smuggling after 2,906 kg of logs were seized from his godown near Ottapalam.
Though sandalwood can be grown on private properties, its cutting and sale are regulated by the Forest Department. According to police, 42-year-old Vadanamkurussy Puthukkattil Hassan has a history of smuggling sandalwood, which was allegedly unknown to the people of the locality.
“A 20-ft sandalwood tree was cut and robbed from a quarry near Pavukkonam in the second week of February. We zeroed in on Hassan, who has been running a scrap business for the past twenty years at his ancestral plot at a remote area in Pavukkonam, about 10 km away from Ottapalam,” said the police.
After a thorough search at his scrap yard, we found scores of sandalwood logs stacked under tarpaulin sheets. During interrogation, he admitted that he has been smuggling sandalwood for quite some time, said Senior Civil Police Officer Jayarajan K.
The investigation team led by Circle Inspector Farshad T P included sub inspectors Jayapradeep KG and Cleeson, ASI Sudheesh and Sr. CPOs Harshad H and Sajith TR. The accused was produced before a court and remanded.
