CHANDIGARH: In an intelligence-based operation, the Punjab Police has dismantled an organised arms and hawala network with the arrest of its three operatives involved in cross-border illegal weapons supply.
Punjab Police recovered 10 sophisticated weapons and Rs 2.5 lakh Hawala money from their possession. Director General of Police Punjab Gaurav Yadav said on Monday that those arrested have been identified as Amarjeet Singh alias Bau (22), a resident of Majhi Meo in Amritsar; Manbir Singh (26), a resident of Vaan Tara Singh in Tarn Taran; and Mohammad Tofiq Khan alias Babblu (42), a resident of Gautam Nagar in Mumbai.
The recovered weapons include three .30 bore PX5 pistols, three 9MM Glocks, one 9MM Beretta, and three .30 bore pistols. He said that the preliminary investigation has revealed the arrested accused were in contact with Pakistan-based handlers.
They also said that social media was used to procure and distribute illegal weapons with the intention of disturbing peace and harmony in the State.
Yadav said that further investigation is underway to establish forward and backward linkages in the case to unearth the entire network and identify cross-border linkages.
Sharing operation details, Amritsar Police Commissioner, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, said that in an intelligence-led operation, the police teams had arrested Amarjeet alias Bau and recovered one Glock pistol from his possession.
Later, on disclosure by Amarjeet, Manbir was arrested along with nine pistols, he said, while adding that both Amarjeet and Manbir had a common Pakistan-based handler, who pushed weapon consignments into Indian territory using drones.
He said that further investigation has revealed that the money from the smuggling trade was routed through hawala to Pakistan by a Mumbai-based individual, Mohammad Tofiq Khan, who was using rented premises in different cities of the Punjab for network operations.
In this regard, a case has been registered under sections 25(6), 25(7), and 25(8) of the Arms Act at Police Station Gate Hakima in Amritsar.