Elephant pearls seized, several suspects arrested in separate raids

Police have arrested multiple suspects for the illegal possession of elephant pearls (Gajamuthu) in two separate police operations.

Ichchalampattu Police have apprehended two individuals who were in possession of two elephant pearls, during a raid carried out in the Poonagar area based on a tip-off received by the police.

The suspects have been identified as residents of the Gokarella area.

Ichchalampattu Police is conducting further investigations regarding the incident.

In a separate incident, three individuals who were attempting to sell three elephant pearls (Gajamuthu) near the Puttalam Lagoon shores have been arrested by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

This raid followed a tip-off received by the Sri Lanka Air Force Intelligence, which indicated that the suspects were preparing to sell the elephant pearls for a sum of around Rs. 30 million.

The suspects were arrested in an operation after undercover officers had posed as potential buyers. 

Police said that the two of the three arrested suspects are residents of the Mawanella area and the remaining suspect is a resident of the Puttalam area.

The Police Special Task Force (STF) has handed over the seized elephant pearls along with the arrested suspects to the Puttalam Police for further investigations.