A suspect possessing 2,372 sea horses, a protected marine species, 3,588 oyster shells and several shark fins was arrested last Saturday.
Officers of the Walana Anti Vice squad arrested the suspect at a check point at Eluwankulama on the Puttalam Mannar Silavatura road last Saturday.
The detection was made on a private bus plying on the Mannar-Puttalam road under the supervision of ASP Hemal Prashantha.
Sleuths chanced upon the suspect after checking baggage of the 70 passengers in a bus. The suspect said he received the items from a friend in Mannar and he was taking the dried sea horses for an ayurvedic medical preparation.