News
Racket selling chicken dead from various illnesses busted
View(s):Pix and text by Hiran Priyankara Jayasinghe
A racket involving the illegal sale of dead chicken meat was busted in the Pallama area following a raid by Public Health Inspectors (PHIs), leading to the arrest of two suspects and the seizure of a large stock of meat that had been distributed to several other areas.
The suspects were accused of collecting chickens that had died due to various illnesses from poultry farms in Pallama and surrounding regions under the guise of transporting them for animal feed. Instead, the meat was processed, packed in polythene bags to avoid detection, and sold at low prices to hotels, charity kitchens, and wedding function organisers in multiple areas, including Anamaduwa, Nawagattegama, Saliyawewa, Uriyawa, Paliyagama, Bingiriya, Weerapokuna, Madurankuliya, and Arachchikattuwa.
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- The meat was processed, packed in polythene bags
The raid followed a prolonged investigation by the Pallama Public Health Inspectors based on information received. The suspects were apprehended while transporting the meat in a three-wheeler near the Serukele Veterinary Office in Pallama, with about 120 kilograms of meat concealed in polythene seized.
The arrested individuals were identified as Geekiyanage Janaka Geeth Kumar Perera of Dudugama, Ja-Ela, who transported the chickens after collecting them from farms, and Yakdehige Jagath Indika Niroshan of Serukele, who was involved in processing the meat.
Investigations revealed that the meat had mainly been sold to hotels preparing kottu and rice dishes, taking advantage of the low price of Rs. 800 per kilogram. Health officials stated that the racket had been operating for a considerable period, deceiving buyers through highly deceptive methods.
The suspects were produced before the Anamaduwa Magistrate’s Court, where Magistrate R.N.K. Chandrawansa imposed a fine of Rs. 76,000 and ordered the destruction of the seized meat stock.
The raid was carried out by Pallama Administrative PHI P.T.A.R. Fernando, along with Adigama PHI and Pallama PHI R.A.D.P. Ranasinghe. Submissions were made by Adigama PHI A.M.D.C. Adhikari.
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