Chandigarh, Jul 23 (PTI) Punjab Police has arrested two alleged members of a cross-border arms and narcotics smuggling module and recovered six sophisticated pistols, 1 kg each of heroin and opium, and Rs 10,000 in suspected drug money from their possession, DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Joga Singh (45) and Manpreet Singh (28), both residents of Tarn Taran district, he said.
The seized weapons included two .30 bore X-Shot pistols, two .30 bore pistols made in China, one .30 bore Turkish Zigana pistol, and one .30 bore PX5 Storm pistol, police said.
A motorcycle allegedly used for the smuggling activities has also been impounded, they added.
According to the DGP, preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were in direct contact with a foreign-based handler, who allegedly facilitated the smuggling of illegal weapons and narcotics across the India-Pakistan border for their distribution to criminal elements in Punjab.
Amritsar Commissioner of Police, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, said police first arrested Joga Singh based on specific inputs and recovered four pistols from him.
Two more pistols were recovered based on his disclosure during interrogation, Bhullar said.
In a follow-up operation, police arrested Manpreet Singh and recovered 1 kg of heroin from his possession. Later, 1 kg of opium and Rs 10,000, suspected to be drug proceeds, were recovered based on his disclosure, the officer said.
Bhullar said Joga Singh operated an illegal arms supply network, while Manpreet Singh was involved in cross-border drugs smuggling under the directions of the same foreign-based handler.
Joga Singh is a habitual offender with 21 criminal cases, including those related to murder, theft, dacoity and robbery, and under the Arms Act and the NDPS Act, police said. PTI VSD ARI ARI
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