Sheikh Mohammad Rafi (24) and Mulla Bashir Ahmed (51) were arrested by the LB Nagar SOT for smuggling red sandalwood from Andhra Pradesh to Telangana. The SOT police, on receiving information that 31 kg of red sandalwood logs weighing 1500 kg were stored at the Maulali government premises under the Malkajgiri police station, seized the smuggled red sandalwood logs with the help of Malkajgiri police. The value of these is around Rs 60 lakh, police said.
Details of the accused ..
Sheikh Mohammad Rafi is a banana trader from Maddunur in Kadapa district in Andhra Pradesh. He earns his living by transporting bananas from Andhra Pradesh to various states like UP, Rajasthan, Delhi and Telangana. Mulla Bashir Ahmed, a native of Kurnool district, resides in Sainikpuri Neredmet, Hyderabad. He also made a living by trading in bananas.
However, they have been losing money in the banana business for some time now .. They plan to buy and sell red sandalwood in Telangana to pay off debts. It was at that time that they came in contact with a statue belonging to Lingaladinnepalli, Brahmangarimath, Kadapa district. Murthy took Rs 1 lakh cash from them and supplied 31 red sandalwood logs weighing about 1500 kg. They were brought to Hyderabad and placed near the government land in the Maula-Ali Dargah in Malkajgiri.
On Thursday evening, SOT police were informed that there was red sandalwood near the Maula-Ali Dargah under the Malkajgiri police station. Malkajgiri police immediately raided a dump where red sandalwood logs were stored and arrested the two accused. 31 red sandalwood logs weighing about 1500 kg, three mobile phones and Rs 1,600 cash were seized from them. The red sandalwood was valued at Rs 60,18,600, police said.
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