INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, August 21
Police have arrested three persons with 45 litres of red sandalwood essential oil from Nayabazar, Kathmandu
Metropolitan City.
A special team deployed from Lainchaur-based Metropolitan Police Circle raided rented room of Jeet Bahadur Lama, 43, of
Sindhupalchowk, leading to his arrest and seizure of the contraband
Based on Lama statements, police arrested Achyut KC, 53, of Dhading and Sujan Paudel, 26, of Nuwakot.
According to Central Police News Desk,
the red sandalwood essential oil was found to have been stored in two jerry cans inside the room
Those arrested were involved in smuggling and illegal trade of the oil
The oil, which is used for aromatic therapy, body massage and to cure skin diseases, fetches up to Rs 100,000 per litre in illegal market
After police stepped up crackdown on smuggling and trade of red sandalwood in the form of logs, racketeers have been adopting new modus
operadi to outsmart the law enforcement agency
Earlier, police had arrested several persons with prayer beads, handicrafts and other items made of red sandalwood
It is also smuggled in the form of powder.
Red sandalwood is an aromatic tropical hardwood tree which isendemic to southern India
This species does not naturally grow in Nepal
Red sandalwood is listed under Appendix II of Convention on International Trade in Engendered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora to which Nepal
Thus, Nepal is obliged to outlaw transportation, possession, sale and distribution of the rare wood.
The post 3 held with 45 litres of
sandalwood oil appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
