Grip tightens on international crime syndicate
3 crooks in Manipur police custody
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 16 2024: With the arrest of three persons including two notorious red sandalwood smugglers, Manipur Police have tightened the grip on an international crime syndicate worth crores.

The two notorious red sandalwood/sanders smugglers arrested by the State police have been identified as Markondan Lakshman and R Bhaskaran.

Dubbed a notorious "real life Pushpa", Markondan Lakshman, had been on the run from Andhra Police.

Wanted for red sanders smuggling, Lakshman was arrested by Manipur Police on December 10 from outside Cheirap Court in Imphal West.

Lakshman was in the Court for cases related to "cheating" various individuals here in Imphal.

His arrest came two months after State Police arrested notorious red sanders smuggler R Bhaskaran, a distant relative of VK Sasikala - close associate of late J Jayalalithaa, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Bhaskaran was arrested by Manipur Police from Chennai in September last.

Markondan Lakshman has smuggled approximately 3,000 tons of illegal red sanders through the porous borders of Moreh in Tengnoupal, Behiang in Churachandpur, Namli in Ukhrul district, and Champhai in Mizoram.

Through the porous border areas he smuggled red sander logs to Myanmar, from where it is further transported to China to make expensive furniture and medicine.

His illegal business empire of red sanders smuggling and hawala transactions is worth crores.

Sources said Imphal West police, in the past, intercepted one of his consignments - a mini truck carrying 900 kilograms of red sanders and illegal arms and ammunition.

The consignment was seized and the driver was arrested.

Police sources said Lakshman lived a lavish life-style in Kolkata in a society flat worth crores.

He has various luxury properties in Chennai, Kolkata and Moreh.

He was earlier arrested by Andhra Police and behind bars for many years.

Police sources said Lakshman and his brother Ramesh are also involved in supplying fake gun licenses from Dimapur in Nagaland.

The fake gun licenses are sold for huge amounts in Chennai.

Meanwhile, R Bhaskaran (57) also known as 'Katta' Bhaskaran was arrested by Manipur Police from Chennai in September last in connection with a cheating case.

He was arrested by the State police near a wedding hall in Puzhal police limits.

Wanted by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in connection with the seizure of red sanders worth Rs 48 crore in Chennai in 2015, R Bhaskaran also topped the 'wanted list' of the AP Police.

He was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in 2023 .

This crime syndicate connected to Lakshman and R Bhaskaran is involved in smuggling of red sanders, illegal hawala transactions in various countries, gun running, gold smuggling and various illicit illegal trade in the Indo-Myanmar border area.

The various gang members of the crime syndicate have cheated many people in Manipur, Mizoram on the promise that they will provide legally auctioned red sandal wood.

Manipur police presently have the custody of 3 gang members including Markondan Lakshman and R Bhaskaran.

Hunt is on to arrest other gang members, said the police.

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