Sleuths of the Anti-Terrorists Squad (ATS) arrested four persons and claimed to have busted a gang which is smuggling parts of arms from overseas and assembling them here to dispose it off later to hardened criminals at higher rates. They said to have recovered arms in large quantity besides equipments and tools used for assembling.
Giving the details of the above development here on Thursday afternoon, ADG (law and order) Arun Kumar, said that the ATS is getting information that some organized gang was active in UP, along with Bihar, Maharastra, Haryana, Punjab etc which is smuggling parts of foreign made weapons from Singapore and Canada. It also came to the knowledge that the parts were later assembled and sold to criminals claiming that as foreign made weapons. They also purchased old weapons and damaged them and later put that number on self made weapons and dispose it off at higher prices. The gang was also having contacts with some arms dealers who facilitate their business.
Arun Kumar said that the ATS team further developed the information and on Wednesday evening, the ATS team arrested one Mohamed Khalid, a native of Pul Gulam Hussain in Chowk from Chamrauli Inter College in Unnao and later on tips provided by him they held three more from Kanpur, who revealed their identity as Mohamed Zunaid Arshad aka Chote, Kallu Sharma and Vimal Kumar Vishwakarma aka Kallu, all residents of Kanpur. The cops recovered three assembled pistol, one sample pistol of Bareta Company, four frames of pistol, arms licenses, and other items in large quantity besides diagrams, photo albums, cash etc.
Arun Kumar said that after being grilled, Khalid revealed that he was fascinated with foreign made arms from his childhood so with the help of his maternal uncle he came in contact with arms dealer in Kanpur and later through him, he contacted an arms dealer in Sirsa district of Haryana whom he identified as `Jain Brothers" owned by one Anil Jain. He said that with his help, he contacted Shivanandan Shetty, of Mumbai who used to smuggle parts of foreign weapons for the above purpose. later in association with Shetty and one Elwin Deesa, also hailing from Mumbai, they started getting foreign parts and after getting them assembled they supply it to Ramzan and Qarban, of Naubasta in Kanpur who subsequently disposed it off with the help of National Gun House at loutche Road. So far they sold 160 weapons in several states. Khalid said that he also pumped his earning in real estate business in Gudamba and Wazirganj. Further interrogations are on in the matter.