Surat Forest Dept Busts Major Khair Tree Smuggling Racket

The Mandvi South Range of the Surat Forest Department has dismantled a significant smuggling operation involving khair trees. On June 16, authorities intercepted a truck loaded with khair firewood, which was being transported without a permit near the Mandvi South Range. Upon interrogation, it was revealed that the wood was en route to Alirajpur in Madhya Pradesh.

Subsequently, a raid was conducted in Alirajpur, where a storage of 2055 metric tonnes of khair wood was discovered. The market value of this wood is estimated to be Rs 5.13 crore. The forest department promptly seized the wood and initiated legal proceedings against depot manager Arif Ali Amjal Ali Makra.

Further investigation uncovered that for the past four years, khair trees had been illicitly cut from forests in multiple districts, including Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, Narmada, Dahod, and Bharuch. The stolen trees were transported to Alirajpur via trucks.

Despite the massive scale of the operation, it is alarming that no officials, including District Forest Officers (DFOs) or their subordinates in South Gujarat, were aware of the ongoing theft. The case is now under thorough investigation, with efforts underway to apprehend additional suspects involved in the racket.