Punjab Police bust Pakistan-based weapon smuggling racket

Punjab Police on Thursday claimed to have busted a Pakistan-backed weapon smuggling racket allegedly operated by absconding smuggler Manjot Singh alias Mannu from Dubai, with the arrest of an operative.

Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav said the arrested operative had been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Kaka, from Havellian village in Tarn Taran, currently residing at Saidpur village, Amritsar Rural.

Police seized three sophisticated pistols -- two 9MM Glock and one .30 bore China-nade pistol -- along with four cartridges, the officer said.

Based on a tip-off about Manjot, an Indian national based in Dubai, operating a weapon-smuggling network via Pakistan with the help of his associates in India, the counter-intelligence team in Amritsar launched an operation, he said.

The team arrested Gurpreet Singh at Khurmanian village on link road from Ram Tirath village, when he was en route to deliver the weapon consignment, he added.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Manjot is the kingpin of the network and was using encrypted apps to contact his Pakistan-based weapon smugglers, the DGP said.

Gurpreet was tasked with retrieving a weapon consignment dropped by drones from across the border and delivering them to gangsters in various cities of Punjab on the directions of Manjot, he said.

According to police, Manjot is wanted by the Punjab Police in a drugs case registered against him at Sarai Amanant Khan police station in Tarn Taran in 2022.

Gurpreet Singh has also been facing a criminal case at Sarai Amanant Khan police station, the police said.