A man was arrested after allegedly trying to run over a police officers, the police said.

The 35-year-old from Zebbug on Wednesday night was arrested after allegedly trying to run over a police officer, after failing to stop while traffic was being controlled on Mdina Road, Attard, a statement by the police force read.

At around 11.30pm, the police gave a signal to the driver who was driving a Ford Transit, who appeared to have an expired license. Despite signalling him to stop, the police said, the driver increased speed in the direction of the police, who had to get out of the way not to be hit, and he escaped the scene. The police followed him until they surrounded him in Attard Road, Zebbug. At this moment, the police said, the driver was seen throwing something out of the vehicle., which turned out to be a gun that was loaded with bullets.

The police said that while the man began resisting, the police managed to hold him and arrest him. While searching the vehicle, the police found a container in which there was a white substance, suspected to be cocaine. A search of a garage in Birkirkara and his residence in Zebbug was also carried out, where more substances suspected to be cocaine, heroin and cannabis, weighing scales, a large knife with a 45cm blade, and bullets of different calibres.

The man is being kept under arrest at the Police lock-up in Floriana.

Investigations are ongoing.