An Indian who attempted to smuggle a rare species of Sri Lanka “Indian Pangolin”(Manis crasssicaudata) scutes weighing more than 02 kg to India was nabbed at the Bandaranayake International Airport (BIA) by the customs officers attached to Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Division (BCNP), on 12/11/2012. Investigation revealed the suspect had traveled between India and Sri Lanka on hundred times during the past two years. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), it is prohibited to trade these endangered animals as the species included in Appendix I. Indian Pangolin was forfeited and a penalty of LKR 50,000.00 was imposed on the offender since the said attempt is a violation of Fauna & Flora Protection Ordinance and Forest Ordinance and Customs Ordinance.
