Attempt to illegally export over 200 star tortoises thwart

Sri Lanka Customs Biodiversity Protection Unit at Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday night arrested an exporter in Ja-Ela who attempted to send 206 star tortoises from Sri Lanka to Malaysia illegally using forged documents stating that they were “dried seafood” through export cargo terminal.

Customs Deputy Director Sudaththa Silva said these star tortoises are also known as “Mewara” tortoises by the people of the dry regions of Sri Lanka. These tortoises are kept as pets in Malaysia and Taiwan