A total of four individuals have been arrested while nearly 200 pigeons have been seized during a special police operation near the port area close to the Kalpitiya Fort.
The operation was carried out by a special police team acting on the instructions of the Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of the Puttalam Division.
Police suspect the pigeons had been illegally brought into Sri Lanka by sea and were being prepared for use in pigeon races involving cash betting.
A boat believed to have been used in the alleged smuggling operation, its engine, and a van were also seized.
Police said one of the suspects is a resident of Mawanella, while the other three are residents of Kalpitiya.
Each pigeon is estimated to be worth around Rs. 50,000, with the total value of the seized pigeons estimated at approximately Rs. 10 million.
The suspects are scheduled to be produced before court.
