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’s 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 is endemic 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 is a party. Thus, Nepal is obliged to outlaw transportation, possession, sale and distribution of the rare wood.