the forest department in Gujarat has adopted a novel method to curb teakwood smuggling. Not only has it stepped up the heat on the Veerappans of the region, it is also keeping tabs on illegal operators involved in the final sale of the stolen logs. The result: a teakwood haul in Surat worth Rs four lakh, arrest of several traffickers and seizure of logs valued at Rs 3.10 lakh from people who had purchased the smuggled wood.

The past few months have seen a beefed up intelligence network keeping forests in the Dangs, Valsad and Vyara areas under close watch. Their vigilance is now paying dividends. Many city-based big builders, who procured stolen teakwood at throwaway prices through middlemen, are in the authorities' net. A cubic metre of teakwood that costs Rs 1,300 is procured by these people for only Rs 300-400. These buyers have been asked to either assist the forest department or face the consequences.