Cross-border arms smuggling module busted in Amritsar, 6 arrested

The city police commissionerate has busted a cross-border weapon smuggling module and arrested six persons, including an operative of a weapon syndicate being operated from foreign shores. Six weapons and Rs 5.75 lakh of hawala money were seized during the operation.

DGP Punjab Gaurav Yadav said, “In an intelligence-led operation, Amritsar Commissionerate Police busted a cross-border organised arms smuggling module with the arrest of its six members and recovered six sophisticated weapons and Rs 5.75 lakh hawala money from their possession.”

The arrested individuals were identified as Pargat Singh from village Vaan Tara Singh in Tarn Taran, Ajaybir Singh alias Ajay from Gali Punjab Singh in Amritsar, Karanbir Singh alias Karan from Pal Avenue in Amritsar, Shri Ram from Pal Avenue in Amritsar, Mehakpreet Singh alias Rohit from Officer Colony in Amritsar, and Dinesh Kumar from Adampur in Jalandhar.

The seized weapons include one 9mm Glock, three .30 bore PX5 pistols, one .32 bore pistol, and one .30 bore pistol. According to the DGP, the syndicate was being operated by accused Mehakpreet Singh alias Rohit under the directions of his foreign-based handlers via social media.

During the operation, multiple recoveries were made at different stages of the investigation. Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that Pargat Singh was initially arrested with two weapons, which were part of a cross-border consignment meant to be distributed further through the network.

Other members of the module, including Ajaybir, Karanbir, and Shri Ram, were arrested along with one pistol. The kingpin of the module, Mehakpreet, was arrested from Goa, and three weapons were seized from his possession. The police investigation found that the money from the arms smuggling trade was routed through a hawala network, in which Dinesh was arrested with Rs 5.75 lakh hawala money.