Arms smuggling module busted, 5 held; 8 pistols seized

Amritsar: The Commissionerate Police, Amritsar, on Wednesday claimed to have busted an illegal arms smuggling module with links to foreign-based handlers and arrested five persons.Talking to the mediapersons, Amritsar police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said the preliminary investigations revealed that the arrested accused were in contact with a foreign-based smuggler using virtual numbers.The accused were allegedly receiving consignments of weapons and narcotics through drones from across the border and supplying these further to criminal elements in Punjab.Bhullar informed that the police teams seized eight sophisticated pistols and live cartridges during the operation.Officials believe the module was part of a larger network involved in cross-border smuggling and organised crime. Bhullar said an FIR was registered at Chheharta police station. Further investigation is underway to establish backward and forward linkages and identify other associates connected to the racket, he added.On Wednesday, the Punjab Police also launched an anti-gangster helpline, inviting people to share information about gangsters and criminal networks operating in the state.Announcing the launch of Punjab Police Anti-Gangster Helpline, Gaurav Yadav, director general of police, said the helpline was aimed at strengthening public participation in the fight against organised crime.He said that people could now directly share information regarding gangsters and criminal activities, and the police would ensure informants' complete confidentiality.Yadav further stated that a cash reward of up to Rs 10 lakh would be provided for information leading to the arrest of gangsters.