Int'l arms trafficking network 'used' by Lawrence Bishnoi gang busted, 3 arrested

New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS) An international arms trafficking network, which was allegedly used by the Lawrence Bishnoi Gang to procure weapons used to kill Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala, was busted with the arrest of three men, a Delhi Police official said on Wednesday.

The arrested men were identified as Md. Ovais alias Shamshad (27), a resident of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, Mohammad Afroz (25), and Mohammad Adnan Hussain Ansari (26), both residents of Hazrat Nizamuddin.

The Special cell of Delhi Police has recovered 12 semi-automatic pistols, including Zigana, Beretta, and Slovakian pistols, Nepal currency, a SIM card from Nepal, and a specialised iron box used for trafficking guns from the possession of the accused.

Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) HGS Dhaliwal said that several incidents of crime were reported in Delhi/NCR recently, where sophisticated weapons were used by criminals and gangsters.

Police closely monitored tell-tale signs of these incidents and gangs, which led to the discovery that the gangsters and criminals were obtaining these sophisticated weapons through cross-border trafficking facilitated by their conduits.

"On July 25, specific information was received that Ovais would come near Ghata Masjid, Opposite Shanti Van, to deliver a huge consignment of arms to his associates in Delhi. A trap was laid, and Ovais was apprehended with 10 semi-automatic pistols, including Zigana and Slovakian pistols, in his possession," said Dhaliwal.

During the investigation, Ovais's associates, Afroz and Ansari, were also arrested in the Hazrat Nizamuddin area.

"Further, at the instance of accused Afroz, one USA-made pistol (a Beretta), Nepal currency, a Nepal SIM card, Nepali recharge vouchers, and a specialized iron box used for trafficking pistols were recovered. At the instance of accused Ansari, one semi-automatic pistol was also recovered," said Dhaliwal.

Interrogation revealed that the arrested men were active members of an international arms trafficking network, which was earlier headed by Shahbaz Ansari, a resident of Khurja, Bulandshahr.

"After the arrest of Shahbaz, Ovais assumed the charge of module head and started trafficking weapons across the border. Ansari would contact their counterpart in Dubai and place the order for weapons, who in turn would convey the demand to other members of the module based in Pakistan," said the Special CP.

"The Pakistan-based members of this module, after taking the order, would supply weapons by air cargo to Nepal in a concealed iron box specially designed for the purpose. Once the consignment reaches Nepal, the same would be taken out easily by the members of this module, as the custom officials of Nepal are compromised by this module," said the Special CP.

Thereafter, Ovais and Afroz would travel by road, taking advantage of the porous Indo-Nepal border to transport the arms to India.

"As per their interrogation, they had brought in four consignments, including one dry run. One foreign pistol costs around two to three lakhs, and they used to sell the same to criminals and gangsters of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan for about 7-8 lakhs," the official added.

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