In a major breakthrough under Punjab’s ongoing campaign to strengthen law and order, Amritsar Commissionerate Police has busted a cross-border illegal arms smuggling module and arrested six accused persons, including a juvenile, recovering seven sophisticated pistols from their possession.
Punjab Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the operation was conducted as part of the state government’s drive to make Punjab a safer and more secure state under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann.
Accused and Weapons Recovered
The arrested individuals have been identified as:
- Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi (27), village Burj, Amritsar
- Manish Kumar alias Jerry (24), Sunder Nagar, Batala
- Saroop Singh alias Roop (27), village Chuchakwal, Amritsar
- Chamkaur Singh (20), village Fatehpur Rajputa, Amritsar
- Vansh Sharma (23), Bhikhiwind, Tarn Taran
- One juvenile (identity withheld)
Police recovered:
- Five 9MM Glock pistols
- Two .30 bore pistols
Foreign-Based Handler Linked to Network
DGP Gaurav Yadav revealed that preliminary investigations indicate the accused were in contact with a foreign-based handler operating from Portugal. The handler allegedly coordinated the smuggling of illegal weapons from Pakistan using drones.
The recovered arms consignment was intended to be supplied further to criminal elements operating in the region. Investigations are ongoing to uncover both forward and backward linkages and dismantle the entire smuggling network.
Police Operation Details
Commissioner of Police, Amritsar Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said police teams acted on specific intelligence inputs and conducted a well-planned operation.
Initially, Gurpreet alias Gopi and a juvenile were arrested with two Glock pistols. Subsequent interrogation led to the arrest of Manish alias Jerry, Saroop alias Roop, and Chamkaur Singh, resulting in the recovery of three additional Glock pistols.
Later, based on disclosures made during interrogation, Vansh Sharma was arrested with two .30 bore pistols.
Police officials also revealed that Manish alias Jerry was previously involved in a firing incident on police personnel in Batala and had been absconding, while Saroop alias Roop has multiple criminal cases registered under the NDPS Act and theft charges.
Case Registered
A case (FIR No. 42 dated March 11, 2026) has been registered under Sections 25(6), 25(7)(i), and 25(8) of the Arms Act at Police Station Cantonment, Amritsar.
Police stated that further investigation is underway to completely dismantle the cross-border arms trafficking network.
