Director General of Wildlife Ranjith Marasinghe said that legal action has also been initiated against 10 safari jeeps found to have entered the park illegally. In addition, the services of four volunteers have been terminated in connection with the incident.
Kaudulla National Park, renowned internationally for its wild elephant populations and high tourist attraction, draws large numbers of local and foreign visitors daily, contributing significantly to the national economy. However, safari jeep associations have long alleged that jeeps carrying tourists were entering the park without tickets, with the collected money being shared among those involved. Following several complaints, a special investigation team from Colombo carried out a surprise raid, uncovering evidence against 10 jeeps. Authorities noted that some individuals involved had fled the park after receiving information about the raid.
The racket is believed to have operated by charging US$20 from SAARC tourists and US$25 from others, diverting substantial revenue away from the state. The Wildlife Department has launched further investigations to identify all those connected to the scheme.
