Punjab Police Bust Cross-Border Arms Smuggling and Hawala Network, Four Arrested

Punjab Police on Monday dismantled a cross-border illegal arms smuggling and hawala network operating in the state, arresting four persons , including an Afghan national , in a significant crackdown on organised crime.

The operation was carried out by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police , which recovered eight sophisticated pistols and seven live cartridges from the accused. The seizure is being viewed as a major success in efforts to curb the flow of illegal weapons into Punjab.

According to Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav , preliminary investigations indicate that the arrested individuals were allegedly in contact with a foreign-based smuggler involved in supplying illegal weapon consignments. The weapons were reportedly delivered through concealed drop locations, a method often used by organised criminal networks to evade detection by law enforcement agencies.

Police believe the accused were part of a larger network engaged in the transportation and distribution of illegal arms, with hawala channels suspected of being used for financial transactions linked to the operation.

A criminal case has been registered in Amritsar, and further investigations are underway. Authorities are working to establish both backward and forward linkages of the network, identify additional associates, trace the source and destination of the weapons, and uncover the full extent of the smuggling operation.

Officials said more recoveries and arrests are likely as the investigation progresses and efforts continue to dismantle the entire network behind the illegal arms trade.