Chandigarh, May 18 (IANS) In a crucial breakthrough, the Amritsar Commissionerate Police has dismantled a drug and illegal arms smuggling module with the arrest of one accused and recovered 2.1 kg heroin along with seven sophisticated pistols from his possession, Punjab’s Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said on Monday.

The arrested accused has been identified as Khush Kumar, alias Bholu, 26, a resident of Gurwali Gate in Amritsar.

The accused has a criminal history with cases pertaining to the NDPS Act, the Arms Act and snatching cases registered against him. The recovered pistols include a 9MM Gladiator (made in Turkey), a 9MM Zigana X-SHOT, a .30 bore Beretta (made in Italy), a .30 bore Zigana (made in China), a .30 bore (made in Austria), a .30 bore (made in China) and another .30 bore.

DGP Yadav said that preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused was in contact with a foreign-based smuggler through virtual numbers. Illegal consignments of heroin and weapons were being delivered through drones from across the border, which were further supplied to criminal elements by the accused. Further investigation is underway to establish linkages of this network and to identify other associates involved, he added.

Sharing operational details, Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that in a planned and intelligence-based operation, police teams have arrested the accused Khush and recovered 2.1 kg heroin from his possession. Further investigation and sustained interrogation of the accused led to the recovery of seven pistols, he said.

Bhullar said that the probe has further revealed that the recovered pistols were intended to be supplied to criminal elements for carrying out criminal activities. However, Commissionerate Police Amritsar acted promptly and arrested the accused before the weapons could be circulated further, he added. A first information report (FIR) has been registered under Section 21-C of the NDPS Act and Section 25 of the Arms Act in Amritsar.

–IANS

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