Has Amritsar emerged as the major hotspot for trafficking of weapons?
The question is now baffling and haunting the security agencies.
As many as 74 pistols have been recovered by various security agencies from the Amritsar border in the first 27 days of June. Apart from this, an AK-47 rifle, two sub-machine guns and hundreds of live cartridges were also recovered during the period.
The latest seizure came on Saturday when the Amritsar city police commissionerate busted another weapon-smuggling module and recovered 10 pistols.
Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav while sharing the information on X, said that the accused were working under the directions of a foreign-based handler and were receiving consignments through covert cross-border routes before supplying them to criminal elements across Punjab.
He said further investigations are focused on exposing the entire smuggling chain, including overseas suppliers, local receivers and the end-users of the weapons.
Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said that the repeated recoveries also pointed towards the bigger challenge of regular use of drones and other covert routes to push weapons into Punjab. He said the sophisticated firearms were allegedly destined for criminal gangs and organised crime networks, creating law and order problems in the border state.
Another police official, requesting anonymity, said that the Punjab’s border with Pakistan has been serving as a route for the smuggling of drugs and weapons. He said many of the weapons were further transported to other parts of the country also.
Earlier, police arrested a resident of Madhya Pradesh who had arrived near the international border to receive a pistol smuggled from Pakistan.
Major arms seizure in June
June 27: 10 pistols, nine cartridges recovered; four arrested.
June 25: Two sub-machine guns, eight pistols and contraband seized.
June 19: AK-47 rifle, 25 pistols and 368 live cartridges recovered in a joint operation by Punjab Police, BSF and ANTF.
June 18: 11 sophisticated pistols and eight bullets seized.
June 8: Eight sophisticated pistols recovered.
June 5: Six pistols, over 1 kg heroin and Rs 5 lakh drug money seized.
June 3: Six pistols, over 1 kg heroin and 12 live cartridges recovered.
