The year 2025 proved to be a highly productive and decisive period for the dedicated anti-smuggling task force combating the illegal red sanders trade in Tirupati. Under the leadership of its chief and Tirupati Superintendent of Police, L Subbarayudu, the unit launched a sustained offensive, registering a significant number of cases and making major seizures that disrupted smuggling networks.
Major Hauls and Arrests in 2025
According to the official year-end data, the task force registered a total of 64 cases related to red sanders smuggling over the course of the year. Their operations led to the arrest of 263 individuals, including both smugglers and woodcutters actively involved in the illicit trade.
The scale of the seizures underscores the magnitude of the illegal operations they dismantled. Authorities successfully confiscated 1,872 red sanders logs, with a combined weight of approximately 35 tons. Furthermore, they impounded 63 vehicles that were being used to transport the precious wood. The total estimated value of all the seized items, including logs and vehicles, stands at a staggering Rs 47 crore.
Interstate Operations and Notorious Smugglers Nabbed
The task force's efforts were not confined to Andhra Pradesh. They executed successful interstate operations, leading to the recovery of red sanders logs valued at an additional Rs 16.5 crore from other regions. As part of a coordinated nationwide crackdown intensified in 2025, the unit achieved a critical breakthrough by apprehending around 10 most-wanted red sanders smugglers.
In a strong legal move aimed at habitual offenders, the task force invoked the stringent Preventive Detention (PD) Act against two particularly notorious smugglers. This measure is designed to prevent them from continuing their illegal activities while legal proceedings are underway.
Historic Step: Attaching Smugglers' Properties
Marking a first in their comprehensive strategy, the task force initiated proceedings for the attachment of properties amassed by the arrested red sanders smugglers in 2025. This pioneering step targets the financial infrastructure and ill-gotten gains of the smuggling rings, moving beyond arrests and seizures to hit the criminals where it hurts most—their wallets.
SP L Subbarayudu highlighted these multifaceted achievements, pointing to a year of aggressive action that combined on-ground enforcement, interstate coordination, and innovative legal measures to curb the endemic smuggling of the valuable red sanders wood from the region.
