Chinese nationals arrested with tortoises

Three Chinese nationals, of who two are employed at the Norochcholai coal power plant, were arrested for killing and having in their?possession a species of?tortoise protected under local wildlife laws.
The police media unit said that one Chinese man was initially arrested by officers of the police post at the power plant after it was found that he had killed a tortoise to consume its meat.
Following investigations launched by the Kalpitiya police another Chinese man was arrested for having in his possession 3 tortoises of the same kind protected by ?local wildlife laws.
The two Chinese men are to be produced before the Puttalam Magistrate today.
Meanwhile in Weligama, another Chinese man was arrested together with his driver when the police found a dead tortoise and five other tortoises in a van.
The police had checked the van on suspicion yesterday near the Weligama beach and found the tortoises in the vehicle.
The Chinese man and his driver were produced before Magistrate and released on bail.
Last month a Chinese national was arrested with 14 tortoises in Narahempita.
The police said that the tortoises were found in a room next to a restaurant in Narahempita.
The Magistrate had ordered that the 14 tortoises be handed over to the Dehiwala zoo. The Chinese man had claimed the tortoises were his pets.?(Colombo Gazette)
Report by Easwaran Rutnam