New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) In a significant breakthrough, Delhi Police’s Special Cell (Trans Yamuna Range) has busted an interstate arms and fake currency smuggling cartel operating across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.

Five key operatives, including the kingpin and a woman trafficker, have been arrested. A total of 10 semi-automatic pistols, 68 live cartridges, and Rs 4.10 lakh in Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) were seized during the crackdown.

The police also recovered three vehicles, including a bullet-proof Scorpio SUV used for smuggling, and mobile phones containing incriminating chats. The operation was led by Inspectors Rahul Kumar and Vineet Kumar Tewatia under ACP Kailash Singh Bisht.

The action followed a tip-off received on July 6, leading to the arrest of Ravi Thakur from Mathura with five illicit pistols and cartridges. This led to further arrests of Yogesh Phogat from Gurugram, Kuldeep alias Chhotu from Sonipat, Meera from Mathura, and finally kingpin Samsu Khan alias Rehan from Firozabad.

The gang used social media and coded chats to coordinate the supply of arms from Madhya Pradesh and fake currency from Siwan, Bihar.

Samsu Khan, the mastermind, operated remotely from Hooghly, West Bengal, and is also wanted by UP ATS in a weapons trafficking case.

Among the arrested are-Ravi Thakur who was earning Rs 5,000 per piece, Yogesh Phogat (previously jailed in attempt-to-murder cases and acted as an intermediary), Kuldeep, a former railway employee, had modified his Scorpio into a bulletproof vehicle for smuggling, Meera, (separated from her husband, smuggled arms across several states on Khan’s orders) and Samsu Khan who managed the syndicate and handled procurement of both arms and FICN.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), Amit Kaushik, said investigations are ongoing to uncover the cartel’s full network and links between arms smuggling and fake currency circulation.

–IANS

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