Recent Detections

Imported live birds forfeited :

Officers attached to Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Division (BCNP) uncovered an attempt to
smuggle a consignment of live birds in to the country on 10.02.2012 The consignment included species which were
vulnerable to avian influence as the birds were imported from the street market of Bangkok while the approvals for
the consignment from relevant authorities were not available. After the customs inquiry conducted 121 birds were
imported through this consignment was handed over to the Department of National Zoological Gardens after
forfeiture Rs 450,000, penalty was imposed on the offender. Goods were valued at $1130 (Rs. 120,000) actual value
is Rs. 13.6 million is a valuation fraud. This is a violation of Fauna & Flora Protection Ordinance and also quarantine
approval from the Department of Animal Production & health and was given only for a part of the shipment.

Illegal transporting of Elephant Tusks:

Illegal transporting of Elephant Tusks Sri Lanka Customs was able to detain 359 numbers of elephant tusks, weighted
1.5 Metric tons. This shipment was scheduled to export from Kenya to Dubai, through Sri Lanka. The following
photographs illustrate the views of detained consignment.They were declared as "Ploythene waste".

Sandalwood trader nabbed :

Attempt to smuggle out the sandalwood pieces concealed inside four (04) traveling bags of beetle leaves by a
Pakistani national was detained by the officers of the Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Division

(BCNP) at departure terminal of the Bandaranaka International Airport, Katunayake. Total weighing of the
Sandalwood amounted to 128.9 kg and was valued to be LKR 193,950.00. At the customs inquiry conducted, goods
were forfeited and a penalty of LKR 100,00.00 was imposed on the offender since the said attempt is a violation of
Fauna & Flora Protection Ordinance and Forest Ordinance.

Indian Pangolin smuggling attempt intercepted by BCNP officers:

An Indian who attempted to smuggle a rare species of Sri Lanka Indian Pangolin(Manis crasssicaudata) scutes
weighing more than 02 kg to India was nabbed at the Bandaranayake International Airport (BIA) by the customs
officers attached to Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Division (BCNP), on 12/11/2012.
Investigation revealed the suspect had traveled between India and Sri Lanka on hundred times during the past two
years. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES),
it is prohibited to trade these endangered animals as the species included in Appendix I. Indian Pangolin was forfeited
and a penalty of LKR 50,000.00 was imposed on the offender since the said attempt is a violation of Fauna & Flora
Protection Ordinance and Forest Ordinance and Customs Ordinance.

999 Live Lobsters set free:

Officers attached to the Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Division (BCNP) intercepted an
attempt to export a consignment of live lobsters to Hong Kong without a valid license issued for the exportation by the
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources at Air Cargo Village, Katunayaka on 10.02.2012. The consignment
included 999 live lobsters in 26 boxes weighing 486 Kg with a declared value of Rs 394,201.80. As per the
information revealed at the Customs inquiry, about one third of the shipment contained lobsters which were less than
the permitted size for exportation. Further, there were egg bearing live lobsters that are prohibited from exporting. As
the said shipment violated the Customs Ordinance read with Lobster Fisheries Management regulations issued under
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, the live lobsters were relaeased to the sea at the Port of Colombo. Further, the
exporter was imposed a penalty of Rs.100,000.00.

Attempt to smuggle items of historical value thwarted:

In four occasions six Sri Lankans who attempted to smuggle out ancient coins, ornaments, and various other items of
historical values belonging to the Polonnaruwa reign and periods of Dutch, Portuguese and British rule, by concealing
in their baggage were arrested on 27/09/2012 at the Bandaranaike International Airport by the customs authorities.
Attempted to smuggle 665 coins and jewellery foreign and local coins used in Polonnaruwa, Portuguese and Dutch
periods. Ancient waist chains, necklaces, Rings, Pins used on womens clothes, spoons and several more items were
also among the items in custody. Above mentioned items was forfeited and a penalty of LKR 10,00.00 was imposed
on the offenders Since, taking out the items out of the country which carry an archaeological value as determine by
the Director General of the Department of Archeology, without the valid license/ permit issued by the said an authority
is an offense in terms of the Customs Ordinance read with provisions of the Antiquities Ordinance.