Amritsar/Tarn Taran: In a major crackdown on cross-border gun smuggling, the Punjab Police on Sunday dismantled a Pakistan-linked arms trafficking module after arresting one of its operatives and recovering five pistols.

Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said the operation has exposed a network that relied on drone drops from across the border to supply weapons to gangsters in the state.

The arrested suspect, Sandeep Singh, a resident of Khalra village in Tarn Taran, was caught with four .30 bore pistols, one 9mm pistol, and corresponding magazines. Police also seized his Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycle, which investigators say was being used to ferry illegal consignments.

According to the DGP, preliminary findings show that Sandeep and his wanted associate Saifli Singh had been collecting weapon consignments under the instructions of a Pakistan-based handler.

The handler allegedly deployed drones to drop arms near the Indo-Pak border before the duo transported them to criminals operating in Punjab.

The Counter-Intelligence wing of Amritsar Police initiated action after receiving specific information about the movement of a large cache of weapons from the border area near Khalra.

Acting on the alert, CI-Amritsar teams intercepted Sandeep near the village Thatha in Tarn Taran as he was reportedly heading to deliver the latest consignment.

Police have registered an FIR under Sections 25 and 25(1)(a) of the Arms Act and Section 61(2) (criminal conspiracy) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the State Special Operation Cell in Amritsar.

The DGP said further investigation is underway to uncover both forward and backward linkages and to dismantle the entire smuggling network.