Suspects arrested with large stock of illicit timber

A large stock of teak timber was seized in transit and two suspects arrested by Chilaw police during a raid in the Mugunuwatana area. A police team that lay in ambush at Karavitagana in Mugunuwatana on information from the public seized the lorry load of illicit timber.

Police said the stock of timber contained 28 logs of teak which was being transported to a sawmill in Karawitara area without a permit. Investigations revealed that the suspects had felled trees in the Panirendawa forest reserve and supplied timber to saw mills on contract and they had been carrying on the racket for a long time. A senior police official said the stock of timber was valued more than Rs.500,000.

OIC Police Environmental Unit SI Pathirana, Sergeant 31634 Wickremesinghe, PCS 67021 Dissanayke, 68428 Kelum and 91018 Bamunusinghe carried out the raid on the instructions of HQI Chilaw CI Priyantha Bandara.

The stock of timber contained 28 logs of teak which was being transported to a sawmill in Karawitara area without a permit