The Red Sanders Anti Smuggling Task Force (RSASTF) will be tracking repeat offenders; those involved in smuggling activities regularly, via Fingerprint Identification Network System (FINS), RSASTF Head IG M. Kantha Rao said on Friday.
Addressing the media here, Mr. Rao said that they had already updated the database with details of 1300 operatives and that those of another 5000 of them, were being uploaded by the forensic department. “This would not only help us identify the repeat offenders but also reveal their exact details, including photographs, cases involved, past and present activities, location and much more (via aadhaar linkage, ruling out false information). Since the establishment of task force, we have been collecting the fingerprints and other details of smugglers/ operatives involved in illegal activities,” he added.
Mr. Rao said that, till date, they have arranged five tablet PCs with FINS, three of them with officials at Tirupati and one each at Kadapa and Kodur.
Logs recovered
Meanwhile, a combing party recovered eight red sanders logs from Lakshmipuram Cheruvu/Mekalabanda forest areas abutting Gurrala Bavi near Srivari Mettu, in the early hours of Friday. The officials, who stumbled upon few sets of footprints during combing, began searching in two groups.
An operative, reportedly hiding among bushes from the combing party, made a sudden dash and fled into deep forests. Evaluating that there could be more operatives, additional forces were deployed.
