Amritsar Police Bust Three Illegal Arms Supply Networks, Arrest Eightਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਪੁਲਿਸ ਨੇ ਹਥਿਆਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਤਿੱਨ ਗੈਰ-ਕਾਨੂੰਨੀ ਨੈਟਵਰਕ ਤਬਾਹ ਕੀਤੇ, ਅੱਠ ਗ੍ਰਿਫ਼ਤਾਰ

The Commissionerate Police Amritsar has dismantled three illegal arms supply networks in a major crackdown, arresting eight accused and recovering 15 illegal pistols and 15 live cartridges.

The operation

According to the police, the three networks were busted in separate operations across the city. Eight accused were arrested and the weapons seized. Separate first information reports have been registered in connection with the recoveries, and further investigation is underway to trace the complete backward and forward linkages of the networks.

Foreign-based smugglers under scanner

Preliminary investigation has revealed that the accused were allegedly in contact with foreign-based smugglers and were procuring illegal weapons for further distribution among criminal elements, the police said. Investigators are now working to identify more associates connected with the wider trafficking chain.

Part of a wider crackdown

The bust is the latest in a series of operations by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police against cross-border drug and arms trafficking, as security agencies intensify vigil along the Punjab border. Earlier, Amritsar Police busted a cross-border arms network with AK-47 rifles and grenades seized.

How many people were arrested and what was seized?

Linked to the border arms pipeline?

Amritsar has seen repeated busts of cross-border weapons modules in recent months, including an earlier operation in which the police seized AK-47 rifles and grenades from a smuggling network. Investigators will examine whether the newly busted networks share handlers or routes with those earlier cases.

Eight accused were arrested, and the police recovered 15 illegal pistols and 15 live cartridges from the three dismantled networks.

Who were the weapons meant for?

According to the police, the accused were allegedly in contact with foreign-based smugglers and were procuring the weapons for distribution among criminal elements.

Why these busts matter

Punjab shares a long international border with Pakistan, and cross-border smuggling of drugs and weapons — often via drones — has remained a persistent security concern for the state. Police say illegal arms smuggled into Punjab frequently end up fuelling gang violence, extortion and targeted attacks, which is why the Commissionerate Police has made dismantling supply networks a priority.

Wider crackdown continues

Officials said the campaign against organised arms trafficking will continue with sustained surveillance of suspected handlers and their local contacts. Citizens with information about illegal weapons have been urged to report to the police.

Are these networks linked to earlier busts?

The police have not said whether the three networks are linked to earlier cases. Investigators are mapping the complete chain of handlers, couriers and buyers before drawing conclusions.