Delhi Police’s Special Task Force (STF) along with the Andhra Pradesh Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) seized nearly 10 tons of red sandalwood worth `6 crore from a godown in Tughlakabad village. Two men have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the illegal trade. The accused have been identified as Irfan, son of Noor Mohammad, a resident of Toli Chowki in Hyderabad, and Amit Sampat Pawar, son of Sampat Karam Pawar, from Sector 21, Thane, Navi Mumbai. The police said the duo had smuggled the logs from Tirupati to Delhi in August this year.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) said, “This is one of the biggest recoveries of red sandalwood in recent months. The operation was carried out jointly with the Andhra Pradesh police after weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering. We are committed to breaking the entire network involved in this illegal trade.”
According to the police, the operation began after the Andhra Pradesh Task Force shared a crucial tip-off. Back in August 2025, an FIR had been registered in Tirupati following the theft of red sandalwood from a local depot. During the investigation, the Andhra Pradesh police arrested a few suspects who revealed that the stolen consignment was being moved to Delhi.
Following this lead, a joint team was formed, comprising officers from the Special Task Force of Delhi’s South-East District, the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force, and the Andhra Pradesh Intelligence Wing. The teams tracked the movement of suspicious vehicles and developed intelligence about a storage location in Tughlakabad.
On October 6, the joint team carried out a raid at a godown in Tughlakabad village. Inside, they found around 9,500 kilograms of red sandalwood logs stacked and hidden under tarpaulin sheets.
The wood had been transported in a truck from Tirupati in the first week of August and stored in Delhi for further smuggling.
During interrogation, both accused confessed that they were planning to move the consignment to China and other South Asian countries, where red sandalwood commands a high price in the illegal market. The wood is in demand for its medicinal value and use in fine furniture and musical instruments.
Police sources said Irfan is a repeat offender. He had been arrested in 2023 by Tirupati police in a similar case. Amit, however, had no previous record. Both men told investigators that they got into smuggling to earn easy money.
Red sandalwood, also known as ‘Red Sanders’, is a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and its export is strictly regulated. Smuggling networks often move the logs through remote routes, using trucks and containers disguised as carrying other goods.
The DCP said, “The accused were part of a bigger syndicate that sources red sandalwood from Andhra Pradesh and moves it to Delhi and Mumbai before sending it abroad. We are tracing their financial links and other members involved in the chain.”
Police have registered a case and launched further investigation to identify other associates and buyers linked to the racket. The seized logs have been handed over to the forest department for verification and valuation. Officials said more arrests are likely in the coming days as teams in Delhi and Andhra Pradesh continue to coordinate to dismantle the smuggling network.