Five linked to cross-border arms smuggling module held with 8 pistols

CHANDIGARH: In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing drive to make Punjab a safe and secure state, Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module with the arrest of five accused persons and recovered eight sophisticated pistols along with live cartridges from their possession, said Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav here on Wednesday.

Those arrested have been identified as Arshdeep Singh alias D (21), a resident of Guru Ki Wadali in Amritsar; Manpreet Singh alias Mann (26), a resident of village Bhaini in Amritsar; Sukhraj Singh alias Billa (29), a resident of village Naushera Dhalla in Tarn Taran; Rahul Gill alias Rahul (22), a native of Bhikhiwind and presently residing at village Drajke in Tarn Taran; and Arshdeep Singh alias Gagarh (25), a resident of village Lohke in Tarn Taran. Arrested accused persons have previous criminal antecedents, with cases under the Arms Act, NDPS Act, Attempt to Murder, Kidnapping, and Prison Act registered against them.

The recovered pistols include one 9MM Zigana, one .30 bore PX3 (Made in China), one .30 bore Beretta (Made in Italy), three 9MM Glock and two .32 bore pistols.

DGP Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the arrested accused were in contact with a foreign-based smuggler through virtual numbers. The module was receiving consignments of weapons and drugs via drones from across the border for further distribution to criminal elements in Punjab, he said.

The DGP said that further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages in this case to identify other members associated with the network.

Sharing operational details, Commissioner of Police (CP) Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that acting on reliable inputs, police teams apprehended accused Rahul Gill alias Rahul and recovered two pistols from his possession. During further investigation, acting on the disclosure statement of arrested accused Rahul, police have arrested accused Arshdeep alias Gagarh and recovered one Glock pistol from his possession, he said.

He said that during thorough investigation of the case, the police teams have identified and arrested two more operatives— Arshdeep alias D and Manpreet alias Mann— while they were travelling on a motorcycle near Meeri Peeri Academy Road in Chheharta, Amritsar and two more pistols from their possession, while another two pistols were recovered on their disclosures.