Nearly thousand criminals face arrest; police

The police have identified 990 persons involved in crime and 14,000 persons whom warrants had been issued.

Police media spokesman SSP Buddika Manatunga briefing the journalists on the progress of the Special crime and drug eradication programme said they would identify and arrest persons involved in crime.

The police had reported 13 shooting incidents this year and out of them seven were organized shooting incidents. Nine persons had been killed and two persons injured due to the seven organized shooting incidents.

 He added they have arrested around 30 suspects who carried out shootings as well as persons aided and abetted shootings.

 He added that they had seized three T-56 assault rifle, five pistols and four motorbikes used in shooting incidents.     

He added they also detected and confiscated 197 illegal local and foreign built firearms, under the same programme.

Apart from that they had also carried out mobile operations as part of the programme, and during these operations they have managed to detect 11,054 drunk drivers and take legal actions against them.

The police which carried out the programme in all police station island wide,  also managed to seize 14 kg of Heroin, 1123 Kg of Cannabis, 33 Kg of Ice (methamphetamine) and 20Kg of Hashish. He added that they have arrested 16,000 suspects over drug related offences.

SSP Manathunga added that the programme would be carried out continuously covering the 607 police stations.