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It was detected by the Customs Preventive unit together with Bio Diversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Unit (BDCNHPU) on a tip-off.
Four tonnes
Customs Director General Jagath P. Wijeweera described the consignment as the biggest haul of red sanders the Customs had detected. He said the Indian government had commended their effort. The consignment had been declared as sanitary ware.
Last year after the detection, Deputy Director of BDCHNPU, Samantha Gunasekara said that it was a mafia type operation as the rare wood had a significant demand for making furniture, handicraft, colouring, medicine, perfumes, cosmetics and various other uses.
Wijeweera also said that they would investigate the consigner who had made the arrangements for the shipment in collaboration with the Indian Customs and its last destination had been given in the declaration.
However, the same sandalwood consignment detected that day was loaded to another container to be shipped to Hong Kong on August 17 (Sunday) from the Colombo Port.
Secretary of ACCSU, J. A. Gunathilaka told The Island that Bio Diversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Unit had not been involved in the investigation hastily arranged recently.
He said if the mafia could get their red sandalwood back it would be a bad precedence and it would risk the lives of the officers involved in the detection.
They have requested the President to intervene in his capacity as the Minister of Finance to prevent the attempt and to amend the provisions of Customs Act, in necessary to prevent smugglers from getting away with serious offence by paying small fines.
By Madura Ranwala
