A Maharagama resident has been arrested while allegedly attempting to sell protected sea shells valued at about Rs. 1.5 million, wildlife officials said.
The raid followed a tip-off received by the Horagolla National Park headquarters on 4 October about an alleged sea shell trafficking operation in the Maharagama area, the Daily Mirror reported.
Officers seized six Cassis cornutus (Horned Helmet) shells along with shells of 18 other invertebrate species. The collection had allegedly been offered for sale for Rs. 1.5 million in total.
The suspect and the seized items are to be produced before the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court on 8 October.
The law
Under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, the possession, display, transportation and trade of protected sea shells are all prohibited. The Department of Wildlife Conservation said action is being taken to identify and apprehend others involved in trafficking protected marine species.
The raid was carried out under the supervision of Horagolla National Park Warden P.A.S.U. Bandara, with Wildlife Range Assistant R.M.P. Wijesinghe, Wildlife Guards P.C. Sanjeevani and I.P.C.N. Sasmitha, Field Assistant Saliya Chandrasekara and driver R.S.S. Rathnasekara taking part.
The second such arrest in a week
This is the second reported seizure of protected shells in Sri Lanka within a week. On 1 October, a man was arrested in Kalpitiya town while attempting to sell 20 protected shells — 10 Sri Lanka Map Cowries and 10 Tiger Cowries — in a raid wildlife officers mounted on Sri Lanka Air Force intelligence.
The two cases are separate: different districts, different officers, different species and different courts. Taken together with the department’s statement that it is pursuing others, they point to an active enforcement push against the shell trade rather than a single operation.
Not reported
Neither report gives the suspect’s age or occupation, says how the shells were to be sold or to whom, or explains how the Rs. 1.5 million valuation was arrived at. The 18 other invertebrate species are not identified, and no count is given for shells seized beyond the six Horned Helmets. It is not stated where the shells were collected, whether the suspect is linked to the Kalpitiya case, or what penalties the charges carry. Ada Derana’s site has been returning a CloudFront block to this newsroom for 14 consecutive days, so no second verified newsroom account could be obtained.
