Acting on specific intelligence that a Chennai-based syndicate was attempting to smuggle red sandalwood logs to Malaysia, officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted an export container at Chennai Port before it could be loaded onto a vessel during November 9-11, 2026.
Declared as "paper laminate rolls", the container was thoroughly examined on November 9-10, 2026. The inspection led to the recovery of 12.87 metric tonnes of high-grade red sandalwood logs valued at approximately Rs 7.72 crore, concealed alongside a small quantity of declared goods and gravel stones. The red sandalwood logs and other goods used for concealment have been seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Initial investigation revealed that the syndicate had misused the self-sealing facility available to the manufacturer-exporter. The syndicate got the export consignment prepared through the exporter and diverted the container to a private warehouse, where the declared paper laminate rolls were replaced with red sandalwood logs. The container was subsequently dispatched for export.
Subsequent search of the warehouse led to the recovery of the original declared goods, an industrial weighing machine, and remnants of red sandalwood, providing further evidence of the modus operandi.
Three key members of the syndicate involved in the smuggling have been arrested under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
Red sandalwood (Pterocarpus santalinus) is a protected species. It is listed under Appendix-II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and Schedule-IV of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Its export is restricted under India's Foreign Trade Policy.
This action demonstrates how legitimate export channels and trade facilitation measures are being abused in organized wildlife smuggling. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) remains committed to dismantling such smuggling networks based on intelligence and protecting India's rich biodiversity.