Red Sanders Smuggling Ring Busted: 9 'Pushpa'-Style Traffickers Arrested with 20 Valuable Logs in Tirupati

Red sanders wood is exclusively native to the Seshachalam forest region.

Hyderabad:

In a real-life operation reminiscent of the blockbuster film Pushpa, the Red Sanders Anti-Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) police successfully apprehended nine suspected smugglers and confiscated 20 valuable red sanders logs in Tirupati district's Srikalahasti forest range early Wednesday.

This enforcement action confirms that the illegal trafficking of this unique timber, which grows naturally only in the Seshachalam forest ecosystem, continues to thrive despite significant risks, mirroring the high-stakes scenarios depicted in cinema.

The operation was conducted under the directive of Task Force Head L Subbarayudu. An operational team guided by RI Sai Giridhar and spearheaded by ARSI N Eshwara Reddy performed a detailed combing operation within the depths of the Srikalahasti forest.

The decisive moment occurred near the Ragigunta section, specifically at Thirthalapalam Kona. During the early hours of Wednesday, the police team identified a gathering of individuals in the forest.

When the suspects detected law enforcement presence, they attempted to flee, but the Task Force personnel successfully pursued and captured nine members of the smuggling organization.

After the arrests, authorities recovered 20 illegally harvested red sanders logs from the vicinity. The investigation immediately revealed an interstate connection: two of the apprehended individuals are from Tirupati district, while the majority—seven suspects—originate from neighboring Tamil Nadu.

This pattern suggests that organized criminal networks are actively operating across state boundaries to facilitate this illicit trade. Both the arrested suspects and the confiscated logs have been transferred to the Tirupati Task Force Police Station.

Law enforcement has formally registered a case and is currently interrogating the suspects to identify the masterminds behind the smuggling operation.