A man has been arrested in the indigenous village of Mahiyanganaya with a stock of elephant pearls valued at over Rs. 30 million, in what authorities describe as the largest recovery of its kind in Sri Lanka.
The suspect was apprehended on Friday (17) during a joint operation carried out by wildlife officers from Wilpattu, Ritigala, and Mahiyanganaya, following intelligence received by security forces.
According to officials, the arrest came after months of investigation, which uncovered the suspect’s involvement in an illegal wildlife trade network dealing in rare animal products.
During the raid, officers seized 30 elephant pearls, parts of a leopard’s skin, a section of an elephant tusk, leopard oil, pieces of the karuwala plant, a locally manufactured firearm, animal traps, and parts of the dambha plant, a species protected under Sri Lanka’s wildlife and flora conservation laws.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the suspect had been illegally trading and crafting ornaments using elephant tusks and other wildlife materials for an extended period.
The suspect is currently in wildlife custody and will be produced before court following the completion of further investigations.
