<p>Red sandalwood is both rare and valued at exorbitantly high rates in the international market, making it a hot commodity for smugglers operating from states bordering Andhra Pradesh.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Red sanders in Seshachalam forest, located on the foothills of Tirumala, are increasingly being cut down by smugglers. <br /><br />The forest has now become a virtual battlefield with the Andhra Pradesh government cracking down on smuggling. The government intends to save and auction the rare commodity to bring in revenue.<br /><br />In China, Hong Kong and Pacific Rim countries, one ton of red sandalwood fetches up to Rs 10 crore. <br /><br />The Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board found that smuggled red sandalwood was being used to make high-end furniture, in the production of aphrodisiacs as well as astringent tonics to treat chronic dysentery and diabetes.<br /><br />A section of the Indian media had even reported that red sanders smuggled from Andhra Pradesh was being used in China for atomic energy projects.<br /><br />Usually, smuggling kingpins hire men from Tamil Nadu to cut the rare trees into logs, transport them out of the forest—on small vehicles, bicycles or even by hand—and dump them onto the highway. <br /><br />These logs were later picked up by smugglers. The state police are astonished by the rampant smuggling of the rare wood, having seized over 2,000 Toyota Innova vehicles on different raids carrying logs of red sandalwood. <br /><br />Woodcutters have even dressed as sadhus to sneak into the Seshachalam forest under the pretext of meditating. Coolies are paid Rs 500 per kg of the illegally cut logs that they carry. <br /><br />Forest officials and the Andhra Pradesh Police had formed a Special Task Force in June 2013 to clamp down on the smuggling of red sanders, conducting regular raids at hideouts across Kadapa, Chittoor, Nellore and Kurnool districts.<br /><br /> </p>
<p>Red sandalwood is both rare and valued at exorbitantly high rates in the international market, making it a hot commodity for smugglers operating from states bordering Andhra Pradesh.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Red sanders in Seshachalam forest, located on the foothills of Tirumala, are increasingly being cut down by smugglers. <br /><br />The forest has now become a virtual battlefield with the Andhra Pradesh government cracking down on smuggling. The government intends to save and auction the rare commodity to bring in revenue.<br /><br />In China, Hong Kong and Pacific Rim countries, one ton of red sandalwood fetches up to Rs 10 crore. <br /><br />The Andhra Pradesh State Biodiversity Board found that smuggled red sandalwood was being used to make high-end furniture, in the production of aphrodisiacs as well as astringent tonics to treat chronic dysentery and diabetes.<br /><br />A section of the Indian media had even reported that red sanders smuggled from Andhra Pradesh was being used in China for atomic energy projects.<br /><br />Usually, smuggling kingpins hire men from Tamil Nadu to cut the rare trees into logs, transport them out of the forest—on small vehicles, bicycles or even by hand—and dump them onto the highway. <br /><br />These logs were later picked up by smugglers. The state police are astonished by the rampant smuggling of the rare wood, having seized over 2,000 Toyota Innova vehicles on different raids carrying logs of red sandalwood. <br /><br />Woodcutters have even dressed as sadhus to sneak into the Seshachalam forest under the pretext of meditating. Coolies are paid Rs 500 per kg of the illegally cut logs that they carry. <br /><br />Forest officials and the Andhra Pradesh Police had formed a Special Task Force in June 2013 to clamp down on the smuggling of red sanders, conducting regular raids at hideouts across Kadapa, Chittoor, Nellore and Kurnool districts.<br /><br /> </p>
