Chinese nationals held with red sandalwood
THE HINDU September 8, 2015
Two
Chinese nationals and an Indian driver have been arrested from Delhi’s
Shantivan while attempting to smuggle over 2,700 kg of red sandalwood
worth Rs.1.25 crore.
Red sandalwood sells for Rs.3,000 to
Rs.5,000 per kg in India and is highly sought after in countries like
China and Japan. Considered an aphrodisiac, it is used for
manufacturing herbal medicines there.
The arrested persons have
been identified as 54-year-old Ozhanmin Gai and 43-year-old Cheng Hu
Hua. They were accompanied by 30-year-old Manvar Singh Negi, a native
of Uttarakhand.
Negi was behind the wheels of the mini truck
when it was intercepted following a tip-off, said Joint Commissioner of
Police (Crime) Ravindra Yadav.
The police said they had received
information about some Chinese men smuggling red sandalwood after
buying it from a man in Gurgaon and taking the consignment to Majnu Ka
Tila in north Delhi. The actual source, destination and modus operandi
is still under investigated.
When the mini truck was intercepted
by a crime branch team on Sunday, the Chinese nationals did not respond
to the policemen’s queries.
“The driver told us that the two
foreign nationals only knew Chinese. We then arranged for a Chinese
translator, who helped ascertain their identities,” said a police
officer.
Read more
|