Police raid illegal firearms unit in Bengal, 10 arrested

As many as 22 pistols, besides a lathe machine, drilling equipment, a substantial quantity of gunpowder, some bullets and mobile phones, were recovered from the premises.

Police raided an illegal firearms manufacturing unit at Naldubi in Malda district on Thursday, arresting 10 people and recovering a number of half-made weapons in the process.

9 mm and 7 mm pistols were recovered from the premises of the illegal factory. (Shutterstock)

Police also seized ₹80,000 in cash from the main accused, identified as Akram Sheikh of Rajmahal in Jharkhand. All the others hailed from Bihar’s Munger district, known to be a hub of illegal weapon manufacturing units. “Twenty-two 9 mm and 7 mm pistols were recovered from the premises. We are interrogating the arrested people to find out more about the racket,” said Malda superintendent of police Arnab Ghosh.

Other materials seized from the unit included a lathe machine, drilling equipment, a substantial quantity of gunpowder, some bullets and mobile phones.

Police said a contingent led by assistant superintendent of police (Malda) Arindam Sarkar and deputy superintendent Shyamal Mondal raided the property at Naldubi on a tip-off from a state-level intelligence agency. Sheikh had taken it on rent about six months ago.

Both Malda and Murshidabad districts are notorious for a variety of crimes, including the manufacture of illegal firearms, smuggling of fake currency, poppy cultivation and even supply of weapons and gunpowder to banned terror groups in Bangladesh.