Three men have been arrested by the Unawatuna Tourist Police for allegedly mistreating turtles while displaying the animals to tourists and attempting to collect money from them.
The suspects, aged 23, 41 and 45, are residents of Thalpe.
Police said the suspects are accused of engaging in several activities that caused distress to the turtles, including encouraging tourists to feed the animals and handling and lifting them by hand.
The arrests were made following information received by police that the suspects were allegedly attempting to forcibly obtain money from foreign tourists while displaying the turtles.
Turtles are strictly protected under Sri Lanka’s Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, and harming or keeping these protected animals in captivity constitutes a serious offence.
Police said two other individuals had previously been arrested at the same location for allegedly displaying turtles to foreign tourists and collecting money. They were subsequently produced before court.
The three suspects were arrested by a team of officers from the Unawatuna Tourist Police, including the Officer-in-Charge, and have been handed over to the Habaraduwa Police for further legal proceedings.
