Three suspects were arrested on Monday (05 Jan) in Mawanella with two elephant tusks that were to be sold for Rs. 20 million, according to the Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Air Force intelligence officers, together with wildlife officials, had closely monitored the suspects and arrested them near the Mawanella Muslim mosque, based on a tip-off.
After the arrest, the suspects and the tusks were taken to the Kurunegala Assistant Director’s Office, and they were produced before the Aranayake Tourist Magistrate Court in the Mawanella jurisdiction yesterday (06 Jan).
The Magistrate ordered the suspects to be released on bail of Rs. 400,000 each, and the case was fixed for February 03.
This raid was carried out under the instructions of the Assistant Directors of Wildlife in Anuradhapura and Kurunegala, with participation from officers of the Anuradhapura Assistant Director’s Office, the Kukulkatuwa Beat Office, and the Ritigala Reserve Office, along with Air Force officers from Meerigama and members of the Special Task Force. (Newswire)
