The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs officials are said to have foiled a smuggling attempt of prohibited red sandalwood at Mundra port in Kutch district on Thursday. Sources said that the sleuths have seized a container carrying around 12 metric tons worth over Rs 6 crore of banned red sandalwood.
"DRI and Customs officials have seized a container at Mundra that originated from Noida in Delhi and was on its way to Hong Kong. We had received a specific intelligence. The operation is under way," a source in the know of the development said.
They said that the consignment was being imported by a firm identified as Bholi Hardware & Exports Pvt Ltd, which is based in Noida. The consignment was described as "brass builder hardware and iron builder hardware".
After inspection of the containers, the DRI and Customs sleuths found 379 logs of red sanders weighing a little over 12 metric tons whose value in international market is said to be a little over Rs 6 crore. Officials said that during inspection it was found that "red sander was being imported by misdeclaring them as brass builder hardware and iron builder hardware."