Chandigarh, Aug 10 (PTI) The Punjab Police on Monday said Amritsar Commissionerate Police has dismantled two major cross-border drug and illegal arms supply networks with the arrest of seven individuals and recovered 10 illegal pistols, over 1 kg heroin, and a drone from their possession.
The recovered pistols include one Turkish .30 Bore Zigana, one Austria-made 9mm Glock , one 9MM PX5, two China-made .30 bore, two .30 bore Star mark, one .30 bore, one Glock 9MM and one .30 bore PX3 along with five live cartridges.
Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were in contact with foreign-based smugglers who were facilitating the supply of illegal arms and heroin from across
the International Border.
The DGP said that further investigation is underway to establish the complete forward and backward linkages, identify other persons associated with the foreign-based handlers, and uncover the wider cross-border smuggling network.
Those arrested have been identified as Kuldeep Singh alias Bhullar (28), Husanpreet Singh (21), Ahmed Raja (21), Jagseer Singh alias Bobby (26), Navideep Singh (20), Anmoldeep Singh (19) and Manjinder Singh alias Manga (37).
Amritsar Commissioner of Police Harmanbir Singh Gill said that acting on reliable intelligence, police teams initially arrested accused Kuldeep and Husanpreet, after recovering two pistols along with two live cartridges from their possession.
During sustained interrogation and further investigation, the arrested accused disclosed details about their associates involved in the illegal arms supply network, he said, while adding that acting on their disclosures, police teams arrested Ahmed Raja and Jagseer and five more illegal pistols along three live cartridges were recovered from their possession.
He said that the weapons were allegedly intended to be used for targeting an opposite gang member in connection with an old rivalry. Probe has also revealed that accused Ahmed Raja has previously been involved in criminal cases, including cases related to murder, Arms Act and theft, he added.
Sharing details of another operation, Harmanbir Gill said that police initially arrested accused Navideep Singh and Anmoldeep Singh and recovered over 1 kg heroin from their possession.
During the further course of investigation and sustained interrogation, police recovered three sophisticated pistols and one drone used for carrying out sorties across the border, he said, while adding that another accused Manjinder has also been arrested. PTI SUN NB NB
