Trans-border arms trafficking module busted in Punjab; eight weapons seized

Chandigarh, July 23 (IANS) Punjab Police, in two operations in Amritsar, including a joint operation with the Border Security Force (BSF), seized eight illegal weapons from four accused involved in trans-border arms trafficking, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Wednesday.

The pistols comprised five.30 calibre and three 9 mm calibre along with magazines have been seized from their possession.

He said the first information reports (FIRs) have been registered at the police station in Gharinda in Amritsar. Further investigation is underway to expose the entire network and its linkages.

Meanwhile, in a significant anti-smuggling operation, BSF Punjab Frontier, jointly with Punjab Police, on Tuesday apprehended two Indian narco-smugglers in Ferozepur along with two bikes and a weighing machine.

Simultaneously, two DJI Mavic 3 Classic drones carrying heroin 571 grams and 564 grams, respectively, were seized from the Fazilka and Amritsar border.

One drone was neutralised mid-air by BSF's technical surveillance. Glow sticks were attached to the narcotics packets to facilitate easy retrieval by the smugglers. These swift, intelligence-led operations highlight BSF’s sincere commitment to securing the Punjab border and combating narco-terrorism by neutralising Pakistani drone intrusions.

Earlier, in a major crackdown, the BSF, in joint operation with police's Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) Amritsar, apprehended two criminals, a father-son duo, from Tarn Taran and seized two pistols, one without upper slide, three magazines and two mobile phones from their possession.

In a follow-up action, based on disclosure from a previously nabbed smuggler, BSF and Ferozepur Police recovered 391 grams of heroin hidden near a canal in Pojoke village.

"These swift and precise actions reaffirm the unwavering commitment of security forces to foil narco-terror plots and protect Punjab from the menace of drugs and crime," said the border guarding force.

The BSF, responsible for safeguarding the 553-km-long varied, tough, and challenging India-Pakistan border in Punjab, is guarding borders round the clock with unflinching dedication after braving innumerable challenges, including inclement weather conditions and a spate of smuggling.

--IANS

vg/svn