Thane, June 18 (PTI) Police seized 10.5 tonnes of khair wood, valued at Rs 31 lakh, from a truck in Thane and arrested its driver, a crime branch official said on Wednesday.

Khair wood, commonly used in the production of catechu and known for its commercial value, is a protected forest resource.

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Acting on a tip-off, police intercepted a truck near Nitin Naka in Panchpakhadi area around 1 AM on June 17 and seized Khair wood logs, senior police inspector Salil Bhosale said.

"The market value of the wood is estimated at Rs 31,72,500. In addition, police also seized the truck used in transportation, valued at Rs 10 lakh," he said.

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Police arrested the truck driver, identified as Anilkumar Gupta (54), a resident of Dhule, under section 303(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and relevant sections of the Indian Forest Act.

Police suspect a larger smuggling network could be involved, and further inquiries are underway.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)