The team deployed by the Tatopani border post of APF seized 20 logs of sandalwood weighing 425 kilograms from a truck (Ba. 2 Kha 8723). The seized logs of sandalwood, trade of which has been prohibited by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), were being smuggled to China via Tatopani border. [break]
In Sindhupalchok, this is the second significant seizure of red sandalwood in less than three weeks. Earlier, a police team had seized 26 logs of sandalwood weighing around 469 kilograms from a truck (Ba. 1 Kha 5609) parked on the Araniko highway in Ramche VDC-7, Jure.
According to SP Kamal Giri, smugglers had wrapped all sandalwood logs with gunny sheets and covered them under a stack of hay in the truck. “We smelt rat as trucks generally do not transport hay stacks to Tibet,” said Giri. “When we removed hay stacks, we discovered sandalwood logs.”
The APF team has also arrested two teen-age boys from the seized truck. Two have been identified as Purna Tamang, 19, and Sonam Tamang, 17, who hail from Karthali VDC-4 in Sindhupalchok.
However, they have professed ignorance about the smuggling of sandalwood. “A man who identified himself as Kumar Kami asked us to drive the truck from Tamaghat of Kavre to Sunkoshi hall in Barhabise,” said Purna, who was driving the truck. “He gave us Rs 4,000 for driving the truck.”
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