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A Valuable Natural Resource Smuggling Uncovered |
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A bag of Eppawala Rock Phosphate
Officers inspecting a sample |
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Eppawala Apatite also known as Eppawala Rock Phosphate a rare natural mineral resource of Sri Lanka was detected by the officers attached to the Biodiversity Protection Unit. A consignment 8x20' containers containing 200 MT was attempted to smuggle out to Malaysia on 25th July 2009. The declared value of the consignment was LKR 2.4 million. The said mineral was a prohibited item for exportation under the provisions of Mines and Minerals Act No. 02 of 1992. The Eppawala Rock Phosphate mineral as a source of Phosphate fertilizer is allowed only for the local use. A Customs inquiry was conducted and the exporter was penalized to pay LKR 4.1 million as penalty.
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Another Under-sized Chank Container Trapped |
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Officers attached to the Biodiversity Protection Unit of Sri Lanka Customs detected another huge quantity of Undersized Chanks (Turbinella spp) attempted to export violating the conditions laid down by the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Over 17,289 numbers of Chanks were detected less than 70mm in diameter out of 44,395 total quantity ready to be exported to Bangladesh. Goods were forfeited and LKR 3.1 million penalty imposed on the exporter.
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Uncovering an Attempt to Smuggle out Antique Buddha Statues |
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On 22.01.2009 an American national got caught to Sri Lanka Customs when he tried to export 47 Nos. of antiquities (Buddha statues, God statues etc.) to USA violating the regulations stipulated by the Antiquities Ordinance No. 9 of 1940. Another 27 artefacts were found from his hotel room, which were also packed and ready to be exported. Further investigations reveled that a Swedish nationalist residing in Sri Lanka was collecting and supplying these invaluable artifacts over a long period. Customs apprehended both the suspects and kept in remand until the inquiry concluded.
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Illegal Plants and Seeds Transporter Captured |
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On 23rd February 2009, a Bahrain bound passenger got caught by the officers attached to Biodiversity Protection Unit at Bandaranayake International Airport, Katunayake when he attempted to take out seedlings and seeds of 35 different plant species among which 4 species identified as endemic and most of the others are native to Sri Lanka, thus violating the regulations stipulated by the Forest Ordinance. Plants and Seeds were forfeited and the passenger was released on a penalty.
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Export of Under-sized Chanks |
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| Container load of Chanks |
Some undersized Chanks |
Unloading the Container |
Officers attached to the Biodiversity Protection Unit of Sri Lanka Customs detected a huge quantity of exportation of Undersized Chanks (Turbinella spp) violating the conditions laid down by the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act No. 2 of 1996. Over 16,000 numbers of Chanks were detected less than 70mm in diameter out of 41,600 total quantity ready to be exported to India. Chanks were collected by local divers from the sea from Mannar to Kirinda. This detection created awareness about the risk of loosing our own marine biodiversity among the public as well as those who involved in the business and will be able to protect the rich marine biodiversity of Sri Lanka in the future.
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Illegal Export of Butterfly Cocoons |
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| Butterfly eggs kept for hatching |
Larvae feeding on plant leaves |
Detected cocoon collection |
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| Blue Mormon in captivity |
Butterfly garden
used for captive breeding |
Live buttrflies - handed over to the
Wildlife Department |
A team of officers attached to the Biodiversity Protection Unit of Sri Lanka Customs raided a place at Ja-Ela, Kotugoda and found a large number of live butterflies reared for breeding and smuggling of the live butterfly cocoons to United Kingdom. This current episode in the butterfly smuggling racket came to light in March 2008 when 2 parcels of butterfly cocoons were discovered at Parcel Post Customs Point those were attempted to export to UK. Based on investigations carried out, the Biodiversity Protection Unit apprehended the main suspect who was behind the scene. It further revealed rare butterfly species like Crimson Rose, Blue Mormon and King Crow were under captured breeding over a more than a decade and their cocoons were smuggled out. It was found this illegal business has earned more than LKR 1.6 million per annum. All live butterflies, Larvae and Butterfly Eggs were handed over to the National Zoological Garden and Department of Wildlife Conservation conducted further investigations. It is a timely detection when the entire world is facing the challenge of halting the illegal wildlife trade.
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| Detected Insects,
attempted to smuggle
by a foreign scientist |
Plant extractions, attempted to
smuggle by a university
for gene-piracy |
Star tortoises,
concealed among water plants |
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| Detected Ivory |
Sandalwood, detected at Departure lounge |
Calamander seedlings, detected when smuggling out |
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Red Reef Lobster (Enoplometopus spp.),
A protected sp. detected |
Protected Sea Shells |
A Sea Horse detection |
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| Bumble Bees, Detected when importing |
Ivory, Detected when exporting |
Ebony, declared as painted rubber wood |
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