Man found with illegal exotic turtles

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Oct 31, 2025
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The flying squad of the Department of Wildlife Conservation had arrested a man for illegally importing and keeping exotic turtle species this week.
Among those illegally held turtles were two Snapping turtles, two red-eared sliders and a couple of Indian black turtles. The DWC said that they arrested the suspect who had imported the turtles for commercial purposes.
The DWC told the Sunday Times that the suspect and the turtles were produced before the Gampaha Magistrate and had been released over Rs 500,000 surety bail.
The magistrate had also ordered the turtles to be handed over to the National Zoological Gardens and obtain a report on the animals. Further investigations are carried out by the DWC.