Cross-border arms racket busted, Afghan national among 6 held

Amritsar: The Amritsar police commissionerate claims to have busted a cross-border illegal arms, drug and hawala network following the arrest of six persons, including an Afghan national and two juveniles, and seized over 1 kg heroin, five sophisticated pistols, and Rs 5 lakh drug money. Police commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said those arrested have been identified as Baz Mohammad (62), a resident of Afghanistan who resided at Sonipat in Haryana, and recently shifted to Lajpat Nagar in New Delhi; Ankush Barthwal (33), a resident of Nawanshahr; Des Raj alias Vicky (32), a resident Jalandhar; Rajandeep Singh alias Raja (26), a native of Lopoke and presently residing at Sunny Enclave in Amritsar; and two juveniles adding that the arrested accused Baz Mohammad, Ankush Barthwal and Des Raj alias Vicky are habitual offenders with previous criminal involvement, said Bhullar.The arms included three 9MM Glock (made in Austria), one .30 bore Zigana and one .30 bore pistol along with two live cartridges. Police said the preliminary investigation revealed that the arrested accused, in connivance with their foreign-based associates, were allegedly procuring consignments of illegal arms and narcotics through contacts established via different social media platforms and were distributing them on the directions of their overseas handlers. The network was actively operating in the Majha and Doaba regions, Bhullar said.He said an FIR under Sections 25 (6,7,8) of the Arms Act and Sections 21-C and 29 of the NDPS Act has been registered.