Law enforcement authorities have failed to nab racketeers involved in cutting nearly 100 fully grown teak trees in the Mihintale Forest Reserve and transported out in lorries on the eve of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, residents in the area said.
A resident said the group of about 10 racketeers entered the reserve on April 13 carrying about five chain saws.
They did not alert the police or the forest conservation officials for fear of reprisals by the racketeers since some of them were with fire arms.
The way they behaved led to suspicion that a high level politician or government official was backing the crime, a resident said.
District Wildlife Officer Lalith Gamage when asked said he received information about the incident, and he instructed the beat officer to investigate and submit a report.