Police have arrested a 42-year-old man suspected of aiding and abetting an attempted murder involving a shooting in Athurugiriya.

The suspect was arrested by a team of officers from the Western Province South Division Crime Unit in the Gangodawila area yesterday.

The shooting took place on August 17 in the Malawiyakanda Road area of the Athurugiriya Police Division, where a person was shot and seriously injured.

According to police, the suspect, a resident of Gangodawila, Nugegoda, provided information that led investigators to a motorcycle allegedly used by the suspects to travel to the scene. The motorcycle, which was fitted with forged number plates, was found at the suspect’s residence.

Investigators have also reportedly uncovered evidence indicating that the shooting was allegedly directed by an organized criminal and drug trafficker currently residing overseas.

Police said the forged number plates found on the motorcycle had previously been used on motorcycles allegedly involved in two other incidents.

One of those incidents occurred on July 19 in a cemetery within the Dehiwala Police Division, where a person was shot in an alleged attempted murder. The second occurred on July 21 in the Templers Road area of the Mount Lavinia Police Division, where suspects allegedly arrived at a residence, threatened the occupants with a firearm and assaulted them.

The Western Province South Division Crime Unit is continuing its investigations into the incidents.