Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai (SR)
Mumbai, Nov 12: Another smuggling racket was busted on Sunday by city crime branch and 600kg of red sanders worth Rs 3.05 crore was seized at Mumbai international airport. In September, the city crime branch had arrested 13 persons for smuggling 1,556 kg of the sandalwood worth Rs 8 crore.
The new arrest was made after the crime branch received a tip-off during the interrogation of Shezaad Sayyed, the kingpin in the earlier case. The raid happened on November 10 and police seized 92 pieces of red sanders weighing around 600 kg from the godown.
Police also suspect government officials involvement in the earlier smuggling case. “The consignment was smuggled from Chennai, brought by road to Mumbai and was headed to Dubai and Hong Kong, where there is huge demand for it,” said the police, as reported in TOI.