Under Operation Rakth Chandan, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has recovered 14.63 MT of Red Sanders, estimated at Rs 11.70 crore in the international market, from a consignment that was stuffed at ICD Sabarmati, and which was to be exported to Sharjah, UAE.
- Preliminary examination of the wooden logs by Range Forest Officers confirmed that the logs are of Red Sandalwood, which is prohibited for export. Hence, the same were seized under provisions of Customs Act, 1962.
About Red Sanders
- Red Sanders is a flora-species that is endemic to a distinct tract of forests in Eastern Ghats region of Andhra Pradesh.
- These fall under ‘endangered list’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
- Red Sanders is also listed in Appendix-II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna and Flora (CITES).
- Its rich hue and therapeutic properties are responsible for its high demand across Asia, particularly China, for use in cosmetics, medicinal products and high-end furniture/woodcraft.
- The export of Red Sanders from India is prohibited as per the Foreign Trade Policy.
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