Rs. 9 mn ‘gajamuthu’ racket busted
Air Force tip-off leads to wildlife sting; two suspects remanded By Ifham Nizam ✍️ A lucrative black market, built on a myth, was exposed in Kahatagasdigiliya when Wildlife officers, acting on intelligence provided by the Sri Lanka Air Force, busted a Rs. 9 million deal involving two pieces of elephant ivory passed off as “gajamuthu”, […]
Police uncovered a Rs. 9 million "gajamuthu" ivory racket in Kahatagasdigiliya after receiving a tip-off from the Sri Lanka Air Force. Utilizing undercover officers posing as potential buyers, Wildlife Department officials intercepted two suspects attempting to sell two pieces of ivory for the substantial sum. Weighing 4.83 grams and 3.65 grams, the ivory was being marketed as "gajamuthu," or "elephant pearls," which are round, pearl-like calcified growths inside an elephant's tusk, although they lack any scientifically verified special value.
The two suspects, arrested on August 6 near Wadiga Ela road in Thimbiriwewa, were brought before Kahatagasdigiliya Magistrate's Court and remanded until August 21. Wildlife conservationists warn that superstitions and myths surrounding "gajamuthu" drive illegal demand for elephant parts, endangering the species already threatened by various factors.
Under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, possession, transportation, and sale of such wildlife parts are strictly prohibited without legal authorization.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
