Massive sandalwood smuggling ring busted in Kozhikode; 200 kg seized, 7 arrested

Kozhikode: The vigilance wing of the Forest Department has uncovered a major sandalwood smuggling racket, seizing 200 kg of sandalwood. Seven smugglers were arrested in separate raids across the district on Sunday, confiscating various quantities of sandalwood. Police are still searching for the eighth accused, who sold sandalwood from his own property.

The accused were produced before the judicial magistrate and remanded on Monday. Additionally, two vehicles, a knife used for chopping, and a weighing machine were seized from the gang. According to vigilance officials, the total value of the seized sandalwood is estimated at Rs 8 lakh.

On Sunday, acting on information provided to Forest Vigilance Divisional Officer VP Jayaprakash, four people were apprehended from a house in Muchukunnu, near Moodadi, Koyilandy. There, 130 kg of sandalwood was seized and stored at the Mathikkandy house, along with a car, a two-wheeler, and a knife used to peel the skin and white portions of the sandalwood.

The vigilance officials arrested the house owner, Mathikkandy Vinodan, and his accomplices: Baiju from Elambilassery, Ulliyeri; MP Bajin from Marakkattupoyil, Muchukunnu; and Parayil Meethal Ratheesh from Muchukunnu. The accused were handed over to the Peruvannamuzhi Forest Station and later remanded by the Perambra First Class Judicial Magistrate Court.

Following information from this gang, the vigilance wing conducted another search at Valam Puthussery, Vakayadu, near Perambra, Kozhikode. There, two more individuals were arrested with 20 kg of sandalwood, which had been stored in a makeshift shed next to the demolished house of Vijesh Kuttikkandy. Vijesh and his accomplice, NV Rajaneesh, were arrested and later remanded by the Perambra First Class Judicial Magistrate Court.

On the same day, the same team, along with Thamarassery Range Forest officials, carried out another raid at Cheekilodu, near Nanminda. They seized 53.6 kg of freshly cut sandalwood from a private property. Eighty-year-old PK Arumughan, from Cheekkilodu, a known expert in cutting sandalwood, was arrested.

The forest department has yet to apprehend the landowner, Thazhe Kuttoth Ramakrishnan. Rajaneesh, arrested at Vakayad, is also a suspect in this case.

Arumughan, who had been involved in a previous sandalwood smuggling case and served a brief jail term a few years ago, was caught standing by the sandalwood collection at Ramakrishnan’s plot. Arumughan was taken to the Thamarassery Forest Station and later remanded by the Thamarassery Judicial First Class Magistrate-2 on Monday.

"They are all part of a racket that sources sandalwood from landowners. They are all connected. They only receive a small commission, but as the goods move up the ranks of the racket, the rewards become much larger," said C Vimal, the Range Officer at the Thamarassery Forest Range.

Range Forest Officer AP Sreejith and Section Forest Officer KP Prasanthan led the vigilance wing, with Thamarassery Range Forest Officer C Vimal also participating in the raid at Cheekkilodu, Nanminda.