Acting on specific intelligence regarding an attempt by a Chennai-based syndicate to smuggle Red Sanders logs to Malaysia, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), intercepted an export container at Chennai Port during 9–11 November 2026, before its loading onto the vessel.
The container, declared to contain “Paper Laminate Rolls”, was subjected to detailed examination on 9–10 November 2026. Examination revealed 12.87 metric tonnes of high-grade Red Sanders logs, valued at approximately Rs. 7.72 crore, concealed alongside a small quantity of the declared cargo and gravel stones. The Red Sanders and cover cargo were seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the syndicate had exploited the self-sealing facility available to a manufacturer-exporter. The syndicate arranged an export consignment through the exporter, diverted the container to a private godown and replaced the declared paper laminate rolls with Red Sanders logs before dispatching it for export.
A subsequent search of the godown led to the recovery of the original declared cargo, an industrial weighing scale and traces of Red Sanders, providing further evidence of the modus operandi.
Three key members of the syndicate involved in the smuggling operation have been arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Red Sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus) is a protected species listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Schedule IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Its export from India is prohibited under the Foreign Trade Policy.
The operation highlights the misuse of legitimate export channels and trade facilitation measures for organised wildlife trafficking. DRI remains committed to dismantling such smuggling networks and protecting India’s rich biodiversity through intelligence-led enforcement.
