Police opened fire at a van after it defied orders to stop in the Asgiriya area of Gampaha last night (12).

Acting on intelligence received by the Western Province Intelligence Division regarding a narcotics distribution network operating via a van in Gampaha, a team of officers from the Weliweriya Police Station launched a special operation. Upon tracking the vehicle traveling toward Udugampola, police officers in a jeep covertly pursued the van.

Unaware of the police pursuit, the van driver pulled over near Malwatta Junction on the Udugampola road. When officers dismounted their jeep to inspect the vehicle, the driver abruptly maneuvered the van back and forth several times, damaging multiple passing vehicles. The suspect then crashed into the police jeep in an attempt to run down officers and escape.
Police officers opened fire at the fleeing vehicle to stop it, injuring the driver. The suspect was subsequently arrested and admitted to the Gampaha Hospital under police guard.

A search of the van yielded 15 grams of heroin and 9 grams of 'Ice' (methamphetamine). Weliweriya Police are conducting further investigations.