The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) today claimed it knew who was behind the elephant smuggling and warned the miscreants to stop this kind of activity before it revealed the details to the public.
“We have evidence on a number of Buddhist monks, ministry secretaries and politicians who are behind the elephant smuggling racket and where they were hiding smuggled elephants,” BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thera told a news conference.
He said they had details of a baby elephants being sold for Rs.12 million.
“The smuggling of elephants and baby elephants are operated under the guise of promoting Buddhism and cultural affairs. We are planning to raid these hideouts with the police”, he said.
The Thera said the people who were behind the racket had violated environmental laws and some were even making arrangements to alter rain forest and forest conservation borders to build hotels and other development projects.
He said several foreign companies have managed to purchase lands on the Seven Virgins mountain range to build hotels with the assistance of some Sri Lankans.
“The BBS has decided to take up this matter after receiving several requests from environmental groups about destruction caused to several forest,” the Thera said.
(Chaturanga Pradeep)
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