According to police officials, early findings suggest that the accused were allegedly connected to handlers operating from outside India and were part of a supply chain used to route weapons to criminal elements in the state.
The operation was carried out by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police.
Punjab Police have claimed a significant breakthrough in its campaign against organised crime with the dismantling of a suspected cross-border arms supply network that was allegedly channeling illegal weapons into the state.
The operation, carried out by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police, led to the arrest of eight individuals and the seizure of 11 pistols along with eight live cartridges. Investigators believe the recoveries could help uncover a larger network involved in the movement and distribution of illegal firearms across Punjab.
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According to police officials, early findings suggest that the accused were allegedly connected to handlers operating from outside India and were part of a supply chain used to route weapons to criminal elements in the state. The seized firearms were suspected to be destined for individuals involved in serious criminal activities, including extortion and gang-related offences.
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Officials said the arrests were made during a coordinated crackdown targeting illegal arms trafficking and organised crime. The operation has prompted investigators to widen the probe to determine the scale of the network and identify those responsible for financing, transporting, and distributing the weapons.
Punjab Director General of Police said separate criminal cases have been registered at the Airport, Sadar, and Chheharta police stations in Amritsar. He added that investigators are analysing technical and human intelligence inputs to trace the network’s operational structure and identify its remaining members.
Police sources said the focus of the investigation has now shifted towards uncovering the network’s supply routes and establishing how the weapons entered Punjab before being routed to local contacts. Authorities are also examining whether the module had links with other criminal groups operating in the region.
The latest action forms part of the Punjab Police’s ongoing drive against organised crime and the proliferation of illegal arms. Senior officers said efforts are continuing to locate additional suspects and recover more weapons that may be linked to the network.
Reaffirming the state’s enforcement strategy, police said a zero-tolerance approach towards arms smuggling, cross-border criminal activities, and gang networks would remain in force. Officials maintained that operations against such syndicates would continue in an effort to prevent illegal weapons from reaching the hands of criminals and to strengthen public security.
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