Three persons fined Rs. 410,000 for 33 kilos of venison

Wellawaya Magistrate Kesara Samaradivakara imposed fines amounting to Rs 410,000 on three persons, found guilty of possessing 33 kilos of dried venison.

They had been nabbed in the act of selling bush meat in the Kirinoyagalrena area, on the border of Lungamvehera National Park, by Wildlife Conservation Department officials. Two shotguns and a threewheeler, used by them, too, were taken into custody and produced before courts.

The wildlife officials informed the court that when they raided the illicit meat selling point one of the suspects had fled. He was later apprehended with the help of information divulged by the

other two suspects. The one who made an abortive bid to flee was fined Rs. 170,000 and the other two were fined Rs 120,000 each for the offence of keeping wild game meat in their possession.

The raid was carried out by Ranger of Lumugamvehera National Park Hashan Hettiarachchi and wildlife department officials KK Ruwan Pradeep, Eanga Wijeratne, DG Janaka, SA Asanka, on the instructions of Assistant Director of Wildlife in the Southern region, Prasanna Wimaladasa.