Sri Lanka Combatting Wildlife Trade (CWT) Awareness, Capacity & Empowerment (ACE) Program

Donor: U.S. Department of State, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)

Project purpose: To reduce the ability of criminal groups to carry out and profit from poaching and trafficking of protected animals and their body parts originating from or transiting Sri Lanka.

Endemic species in Sri Lanka have come under growing threat as the country emerged as a source and transit hub in the global illegal wildlife trade. As a result, law enforcement mechanisms have been stretched and authorities struggled to cope with rising wildlife crime. Fragmented institutional responses, porous borders, and limited investigative capacity led to weak prosecutions and a deepening biodiversity and governance crisis.

Recognising this urgent need, EFL launched a initiative to build a coordinated, systems-based national response to wildlife trafficking. Through strategic partnerships and donor support, EFL strengthened every link in the criminal justice chain- from detection and investigation to prosecution and deterrence. The project operationalized Sri Lanka’s first multi-agency enforcement platform- Sri Lanka Wildlife Enforcement Network (SLaWEN), connecting it to regional mechanisms such as the South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN). By embedding capacity across institutions and fostering cross-border collaboration, EFL has positioned Sri Lanka as a regional leader in combating wildlife trafficking and securing justice for its natural heritage.

National achievements

• Initiation of the first multi-agency endeavour to combat wildlife trafficking in Sri Lanka.
• Operational deployment of SLaWEN involving fifteen (15) national agencies.
• Establishment of the Wildlife Crime & Animal Welfare Unit within the Office of the Attorney General.
• Capacity enhancement for over 100 officers in detection, investigation, and prosecution procedures.

Landmark enforcement outcomes

• Imposition of a penalty amounting to Rs. 116 million– the largest in Sri Lanka’s history concerning wildlife trafficking.
• Record number of seizures in marine, exotic pets, and native species trafficking.
• Successful legal proceedings against both domestic and international offenders.
• Application of financial crime frameworks, including asset seizure and money laundering cases.

Regional cooperation

• Supported the DWC to host the 12th South Asian Wildlife Enforcement Network (SAWEN) Executive Committee Meeting in Colombo.
• Convening of the inaugural joint SAWEN-SLaWEN session.
• Identification of regional priorities: exotic pet trade and marine species trafficking.

• A four-day program in Nuwara Eliya strengthened prosecutorial understanding of IWT:
  • Covered marine trafficking, exotic pet trade, border control, international enforcement frameworks, and digital evidence.
  • Included a biodiversity field visit to Galway’s Land National Park to ground legal instruction in ecological realities.

   

•  Formally established with senior officers from the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Forest Department, Fisheries Department, Sri Lanka Customs and Sri Lanka Police.

• Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC)
• Forest Department (FD)
• Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR)
• Sri Lanka Customs
• Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management (CC&CRMD)
• Department of Immigration and Emigration
• Department of National Museums
• Department of Zoological Gardens
• Department of Botanical Gardens
• Department of Archaeology
• Central Environmental Authority
• Geological Survey and Mines Bureau
• Sri Lanka Police
• Sri Lanka Navy
• Sri Lanka Coast Guard

• Defined objectives to resolve investigative bottlenecks and streamline inter-agency operations.
• AG’s Department provided prosecutorial guidance and institution-specific remedies.
• Capacity building highlighted: lecture on the global exotic pet trade (Dr. Rachel Borrato, Monitor Conservation Research Society-MCRS), and identified need for training in live animal handling and targeted investigative skills.
• Prioritised data-sharing protocols, with technical input from a Sri Lanka Police database expert.