New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested two more key operatives of an alleged transnational arms trafficking and terror module with links to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), recovering a sub-machine gun, three sophisticated foreign-made pistols and 82 live cartridges, officials said on Monday.
With the latest arrests, the total number of accused apprehended in the case has risen to 18, while the total recovery now stands at 32 sophisticated foreign-made weapons and 363 live cartridges. Provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) have already been invoked in the case.
According to a press release issued by the Crime Branch, the arrests were made by a team of the Anti-Robbery and Snatching Cell (ARSC) as part of the ongoing investigation into the international arms trafficking and terror module.
The Crime Branch alleged that the syndicate procured sophisticated foreign-made firearms from Pakistan by concealing weapon components inside specially fabricated welding machines and gearboxes, which were transported through air cargo to Kathmandu in Nepal before being smuggled into India and distributed to organised criminal networks.
According to the police, investigations have revealed that the syndicate was not merely involved in illegal arms trafficking for financial gain but was also allegedly supplying sophisticated firearms to terrorist organisations, organised criminal gangs and other anti-national elements operating in India. The Crime Branch further alleged that the entire network was backed by Pakistan’s ISI.
Police said one of the arrested operatives played a key role in receiving weapon consignments, assembling firearm components into fully functional weapons, storing them at safe locations in Delhi and supplying them to organised criminal gangs. Investigators also alleged that he had established an illegal firearm manufacturing and assembly unit in northeast Delhi to facilitate the network’s operations.
The second arrested operative allegedly acted as a distributor of sophisticated foreign-made firearms in Uttar Pradesh, procuring weapons and live cartridges for onward supply to criminal networks. According to investigators, the proceeds generated through these transactions were allegedly intended to fund terrorist activities in India.
During the latest operation, the Crime Branch recovered one sub-machine gun manufactured in the Czech Republic, three semi-automatic pistols manufactured in Italy and the Czech Republic, and 82 live cartridges.
Further investigation into the alleged transnational arms trafficking and terror module is underway. (ANI)
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