The Delhi Police has busted an inter-state syndicate of gun dealers and arrested 18 members of the gang in a month-long operation while four semi-automatic pistols, eight country made pistols, one country made rifle, three knives, and 33 live bullets were recovered.

According to the police on Monday, the accused during the entire operation, which was named 'Eagle' and added that the arrested persons were previously involved in more than 50 cases of murder, attempt to murder, dacoity, robbery, extortion, burglary riot, theft, the Arms Act and the Gangster Act.

Special Commissioner of Police (Crime) Devesh Chandra Srivastava said, "The operation, named 'Eagle', was conducted to crack down on gunrunners active in Delhi and NCR." According to the officer, the operation was launched after two men -- Arshad and Mohammad Suleman -- were arrested from Ghazipur during a raid.

“While developing information about gunrunners active in Delhi - NCR, a tip off was received that two criminals would go to Noida to execute a plan of robbery. Further, they had illegal arms and ammunition and were travelling in a stolen car with a fake number plate. Accordingly, during a raid by the team at Paper Market, Ghazipur, Delhi, an I-20 car was intercepted. The person sitting in the front passenger seat pointed a gun at the team, but he was overpowered,” he said, adding that a gun, three live bullets, three knives and a stolen car were seized from them.

"During interrogation of both the accused, they revealed the names of several other gang members involved in procuring and selling weapons in Delhi-NCR to many criminals. Multiple teams were formed to investigate the entire network and to dismantle it by arresting all the accused," said the special commissioner.

The officer said the teams raided multiple locations and apprehended 16 more people associated with the 'Madan gang'. “The arrested accused confessed to the police that they were all members of the same gang and are involved in procuring and selling illegal weapons in Delhi-NCR,” Srivastava said.

He added that the police arrested the gang's head Madan from Dasna Jail in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, from where was operating the gang.