Amritsar: Hawala racketeer held, Rs 13L seized

Following the interrogation of three cross-border weapon smugglers, the special cell of Amritsar rural police have confiscated around Rs 13 lakh of hawala money from a Ludhiana-based racketeer, identified as Bachitar Singh alias Dalpreet Singh of Dugri.

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Amritsar rural SSP Maninder Singh said that special cell cops had arrested three transnational drugs and weapon smugglers, identified as Fatehbir Singh alias Gandhi, Jagroop Singh alias Lalli and Ranjit Singh alias Kaka, all residents of Vaniyke in Lopoke area on June 1.

They were intercepted at a check-point set up on the village Brar and Kohala link road after intelligence input. The police had recovered eight sophisticated weapons including three Glock Gen 43 pistols (9mm), one Glock 26 Gen pistol (9mm), a .30 bore pistol, a PX5 .30 bore pistol, a Zigana pistol, 10 live cartridges of .30 bore calibre, a motorcycle used for transportation of smuggled weapons and three mobile phones from them.

He said the police found that the accused were in touch with Pakistan-based notorious weapon smuggler, identified as Rana.

The investigations led the police to Bachitar Singh who was handling the finance of the racket through hawala channels. He was in contact with Dubai-based handlers and the hawala money was being routed through the Arab nation.

The special staff immediately rushed to Ludhiana and arrested the accused with Rs 12.99 lakh in cash from his possession.

More arrests are likely to be made during further investigations, said the SSP.