Police recover heroin, Rs. 2.6 million in Pannala vehicle interception

Police have revealed further details of a dramatic vehicle interception in Pannala that led to the arrest of a man and two women and the recovery of heroin, large sums of cash suspected to be drug proceeds and drug-packaging materials.

According to the Police Media Division, officers attached to the Giriulla Police Station launched the operation on September 22 after receiving information that narcotics were being transported in a motor car.

A team of officers subsequently followed the vehicle from Giriulla town and attempted to stop and search it in Pannala. However, the occupants allegedly ignored police orders and attempted to flee, endangering the officers in the process.

Police said that during the attempt to evade arrest, officers were compelled to open fire at the rear wheel of the vehicle. As the occupants allegedly refused to unlock the doors for inspection, police broke the glass of the front left-side door before removing the occupants from the vehicle and conducting a search.

The search of the car resulted in the discovery of 15.260 grams of heroin and Rs. 924,770 suspected to be proceeds from drug trafficking. A 36-year-old male suspect and two female suspects aged 39 and 16 were arrested along with the vehicle.

The suspects are temporary residents of the Nelumdeniya area, police said.

Investigators later carried out a search at the house where the suspects had been residing based on information obtained during questioning.

During that search, police recovered a further 62 grams of heroin, Rs. 1.68 million suspected to be proceeds from narcotics trafficking, 500 bottle caps allegedly used for drug packaging, a roll of transparent tubing and 2,235 plastic tubes believed to have been intended for the distribution of narcotics.

The suspects, the seized narcotics, cash and other items have been taken into custody as investigations continue.

Giriulla Police are conducting further investigations into the incident and the suspected drug trafficking operation. (Newswire)

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