HimVani
Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Police has arrested another person in connection with seizure of two trucks carrying red sanders wood in the no man’s land area just three kilometers from the international border with China near Kaurik. Police arrested one Prem Singh of Kinnaur in this connection on Thursday and claimed that he was helping the smugglers transport the consignment across the border.
Superintendent of Police SR Rana told HimVani that the illicit consignment was meant to be smuggled to China and it was brought from Delhi. Rana said both the drivers were in possession of valid permits issued by ITBP (Indo-Tibetan Border Police) at the Sumdoh check post to move ahead to the border. He said police were investigating how the drivers got the permit from ITBP and who hired the trucks to transport the wood.
Inspector general (law and order) SR Mardi disclosed that during the interrogation, one of the drivers revealed that the bulk of consignment was being sent by someone from Delhi and he was paid Rs 3 lakh for transporting the logs up to the border, while the other driver was reported to have been paid Rs 1 lakh for the deal.
The red sanders wood is a prohibited item for export and listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) list.
