Red sanders smugglers turn to Vizag port

By SNV Sudhir

Visakhapatnam, June 19, 2014: While the II town police late on Wednesday night apprehended a lorry with the load of around 10 tonnes of red sanders, the sleuths of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), on Monday, have confiscated a heavy duty container having red sanders of around 26 tonnes, that was ready to be loaded into a Hong Kong bound ship PASSAT SPRING.

While the investigation is on, the incident once again throws light on how smugglers have these days turning towards Vizag port to smuggle most valuable red sanders to China and Arab countries, where the sandalwood has always been in demand, via countries like Malaysia, Dubai and Hong Kong.

The DRI officers have also taken two local private Custom House Agents (CHA), of a shipping company who were responsible of handling the consignment. According to sources in Vizag Port, the consignment was booked by a Srikakulam based granite company and the cargo was declared as granite.

Of the 28 tonne capacity of the heavy duty container, 26 tonnes of red sanders were stuffed and the upper layer was covered with tiles of granite to hoodwink authorities. The container was confiscated just right after it entered Vizag port’s container terminal and about to be loaded into the Hong Kong bound vessel. The red sanders that were seized are said to be worth around Rs 12 crs in the open market.

 To the dismay of the enforcement officials, the total documentation, including the seals, signatures, stamps of the central customs authorities are fake. “The consignment was said to have come to Vizag from Mumbai by road. From Mumbai, the lorry that carried these red sanders could avoid so many check posts including the inter state one and enter Vizag.  Acting on a tip off, DRI sleuths could intercept the container and seize the most valuable red sanders,” said a source in shipping industry to this correspondent.

A good amount of cash was also said to be found from the two private persons who were taken into custody in connection with the smuggling. This is said to be the fourth such seizure since one and half year at Vizag port.

 It is learnt that due to increased vigilance and tightening the security at Mumbai and Tuticorin ports that were once safe haven for red sanders smugglers, the activity has now shifted towards Vizag. However, the vigilance and DRI sleuths are able to crack certain cases. But there are also reports that many such consignments go unnoticed.

Last May, DRI officials seized 16 tonnes of red sanders from a container that was about to be loaded into Malaysia bound vessel.

While the container has the capacity of carrying 28tonness the Rourkela based shipper declared 18 tonnes of refractory mortar as cargo. But to their surprise when opened the container had 400 logs of red sanders weighing an approximate 16 tonnes.

The container was stuffed and sealed at the premises of the shipper in Rourkela in neighbouring Odisha. Later it was sealed with the permission of central excise sleuths. The container was later brought to Vizag Container Terminal by road and the local shipping agent loaded into the ship to Malaysia.

Red sanders are smuggled to Malaysia and Dubai from there transported to China where sandalwood is widely used for making musical instruments, medicines and also furnishing homes of the rich.