Patan Local Crime Branch seized 4 tonnes of banned red sandalwood worth ₹2 crore from a warehouse on Sidhpur Highway in Patan, arresting three persons from Patan, Mehsana and Deesa.

Based on the intel received from the Red Sandal Anti-Smuggling Task Force of Andhra Pradesh regarding the smuggling of red sandalwood, the Patan LCB formed a team.

Information received from human sources and technical analysis was utilised to arrest Paresh Thakor, Hansraj Joshi and Uttam Soni.

The LCB handed over the three accused to Patan City B Division police station for further action under the Indian Civil Protection Code.

After that, the Red Sandal Anti-Smuggling Task Force team of Andhra Pradesh landed in Patan and seized more than 150 logs of red sandalwood weighing 4.5 tonnes and worth more than ₹2 crore.

During interrogation of the suspects, they confessed to have smuggled red sandalwood in a vehicle under the guise of vegetables about three to four months ago.

After that, it was kept in a warehouse on Siddhpur Highway in Patan.

The accused were trying to export the sandalwood to Malaysia and China.

Further investigation has been initiated to find out whether these three accused have smuggled sandalwood before and whether other persons are involved.

While the crime of red sandalwood smuggling was registered at Chirupati police station, the Andhra Pradesh Task Force team will obtain the transit remand of the accused.

One of the three accused arrested in the red sandalwood smuggling case is married to a woman in Andhra Pradesh, which gave him access to the local smugglers.