BENGALURU: A gang of five was arrested for allegedly trying to sell 1,693kg of red sanders worth Rs 2.7 crore.
The accused are Vinod, a resident of Kamakshipalya, Sanjay, Raju, Krishna and Laxmaiah, farmers from Solur village in Ramanagara district.
Byatarayanapura police got a tip-off about two persons visiting New Timber Yard Layout to sell red sanders on July 22. A team headed by inspector GK Shankar Naik tried to detain the suspects, but one of them - Ajay - managed to escape. The team caught Vinod, a driver, and seized 17.5kg of red sanders from him.
Vinod told police Ajay had hired him to sell red sanders. Ajay knew smugglers in Andhra Pradesh who hid red sanders in a house at Hesaraghatta. Police raided the place and found 1,500kg of red sanders hidden in a water sump. The were packed in sacks and dumped in the sump, which in turn was covered with plywood sheets.
Based on information given by Vinod, Sanjay, Raju, Krishna and Laxmaiah were arrested at Nice Road underpass on Mysore Road on July 24. The team found 113kg of red sanders and a two-wheeler with them.
