Rourkela, April 11: ConOfficials of the forest division today arrested three persons, as part of their crackdown operation on timber smugglers.

They also seized wooden logs worth over Rs 2 lakh from the smugglers.

According to information received, a vehicle carrying 57 sal logs was spotted at Khuntgaon Bisra. Three persons, one hailing from Kokerama and two from Khuntgaon, were arrested in this connection.

"We have arrested three persons. At this moment, we cannot divulge their names since it could hamper the investigations," said divisional forest officer of Rourkela Sanjit Kumar.

Prior to this, the forest department had seized sal logs worth Rs 22 lakh near Bisra. Three persons had been arrested in that connection.

"We will continue with our crackdown operation," said Kumar, adding that the logs seized today were procured from Saranda forest, one of the biggest sal jungles in Asia.

Smuggling of sal wood from this forest continues, despite threats from Maoists to the smugglers.

A few days ago, a few posters had appeared at several places inside the forest, asking people not to cut trees. The Red rebels reportedly put up these posters.

The Maoists have used the Saranda forests as their prime hideout for a long time.

They have been carrying out their operations inside the forests, despite attempts by the security forces to flush them out.

Joint operations by Odisha and Jharkhand police have also been carried out in Saranda, but after the initial success of the security forces, the rebels are back in the forests again.