Kitulgala jewellery shop owner fined Rs. 2.1 mn for illegal wildlife trade

Colombo, July 8 (Daily Mirror) - A suspect arrested by wildlife officers for illegally possessing and selling protected animal parts at a jewellery establishment in the tourist town of Kitulgala has been fined Rs. 2.1 million after pleading guilty to 38 charges.

The suspect was produced before the Ruwanwella Magistrate's Court on June 24, 2026, and was charged with 38 offences under wildlife protection laws.

When the case was taken up today (8), the suspect pleaded guilty to all charges. The Ruwanwella Magistrate imposed a fine of Rs. 2.1 million and permitted the amount to be paid in three instalments over a period of three months.

The court ordered the first instalment to be paid on August 5, 2026.

The suspect was arrested during a raid conducted by officers attached to the Office of the Assistant Director of Wildlife together with the Bulathkohupitiya Site Security Office.