Amritsar (Punjab) [India], June 27 : Amritsar Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar on Saturday said Punjab Police had recovered 10 sophisticated pistols and arrested four accused in connection with an alleged cross-border arms smuggling module.
Addressing a press conference, Bhullar said the recovered weapons included eight China-made, thirty calibre pistols and two 9mm pistols, one of which was a Glock.
"We have recovered ten sophisticated pistols and arrested four accused individuals. All ten weapons are highly sophisticated and lethal," he said.
According to Bhullar, two of the arrested accused, Ravi and Sharanvir, belong to Mahawa village in the Amritsar rural sector and already have attempted murder cases registered against them. The other two accused, Manpreet alias Mannu and Pippal Singh, were apprehended from Ferozepur district.
The Commissioner alleged that the accused were part of a module orchestrated by a smuggler identified as "Chacha", who operated across the Ferozepur and Amritsar (Attari) sectors.
Bhullar alleged that the module recruited unemployed and economically weaker individuals by promising money or opportunities to go abroad.
He further alleged that the weapons were delivered through drone airdrops at pre-designated locations in the Ferozepur and Amritsar sectors and were stockpiled while the recipients awaited further instructions from Pakistani smugglers and foreign-based handlers.
"That is why I consider this a significant success. Otherwise, had the shipments moved further along the chain, with so many intermediaries involved, it would have been impossible to trace who actually took possession of them," Bhullar said.
Earlier this month, Amritsar Commissionerate Police had busted a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module, arrested eight accused persons and recovered 11 sophisticated pistols and eight live cartridges, the Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) said.
In a post on X, the Punjab DGP said, "Amritsar Commissionerate Police busted a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module, apprehended eight accused, and recovered 11 sophisticated pistols and 08 live cartridges.
"According to the DGP, preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were allegedly in contact with foreign-based operatives involved in the supply of illegal weapons.
The recovered arms were intended for distribution among criminal elements and for use in extortion, violent crimes and other unlawful activities, the DGP said.