E-Paper
Two cross-border smuggling networks busted: 7 held with 10 pistols, 1kg heroin in Amritsar
The recovered pistols include one .30-bore Zigana, two 9mm Glock, one 9MM PX5, two .30-bore Chinese pistols, two .30-bore Star mark, one .30-bore, and one .30-bore PX3 along with five live cartridges.
The police on Monday dismantled two major cross-border drug and arms smuggling networks with the arrest of seven individuals and the recovery of 10 pistols, 1.054 kg of heroin, and a drone from their possession, director general of police Gaurav Yadav said.
Those arrested were identified as Kuldeep Singh alias Bhullar, 28, a native of Rajoke village in Tarn Taran and presently residing at Gumtala in Amritsar, Husanpreet Singh, 21, a native of Mehdipur village and presently residing at Dhollan village in Tarn Taran, Ahmed Raja, 21, a resident of Sultanwind Road in Amritsar, Jagseer Singh alias Bobby, 26, a resident of Mohalla Takshatri in Tarn Taran, Navideep Singh, 20, a resident of Attari in Amritsar Rural, Anmoldeep Singh, 19, a resident of Rorawali in Amritsar Rural, and Manjinder Singh alias Manga, 37, a resident of Fatahpur in Amritsar.
The recovered pistols include one .30-bore Zigana, two 9mm Glock, one 9MM PX5, two .30-bore Chinese pistols, two .30-bore Star mark, one .30-bore, and one .30-bore PX3 along with five live cartridges.
DGP Yadav said a preliminary investigation had revealed that the accused were in contact with foreign-based smugglers who were facilitating the supply of illegal arms and heroin from across the border.
The DGP said 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.
Amritsar commissioner of police (CP) Harmanbir Singh Gill said that acting on reliable intelligence, the police initially arrested Kuldeep and Husanpreet and recovered two pistols from their possession.
“During their interrogation, the accused disclosed details about their associates involved in the arms supply network,” he said. Subsequently, police arrested Ahmed Raja and Jagseer, and five more pistols and three live cartridges were recovered from their possession.
The CP said that the weapons were allegedly intended to be used for targeting a member of a rival gang in connection with an old rivalry. The probe has also revealed that accused Raja has previously been involved in criminal cases, including murder, Arms Act violations and theft, he added.
Sharing details of another operation, Gill said that police arrested Navideep Singh and Anmoldeep Singh and recovered 1.054 kg of heroin from their possession.
During further investigation, police recovered three pistols and one drone used for carrying out sorties across the border, the CP said, adding that another accused, Manjinder Singh alias Manga, has also been arrested.
Two separate cases under Sections 25(6,7,8) of the Arms Act and under Sections 21-B, 21-C and 29 of the NDPS Act as well as Section 25(8) of the Arms Act and Sections 10, 11 and 12 of the Aircraft Act, have been registered at Cantonment and D-Division police stations in Amritsar.
