The Punjab police on Tuesday said they have busted a gang of international arms smugglers and highway robbers, with the arrest of two gangsters, including proclaimed offender Gurpreet Singh alias Gora and Germanjeet Singh.

Dinkar Gupta, DGP, said a bullet-proof jacket and smuggled arms and ammunition were seized. The gangsters were allegedly involved in smuggling weapons from across the border into India.

“The duo were arrested by the Jalandhar (Rural) police from Bhogpur. A bulletproof jacket, and a .455 bore pistol provided by gangster Gopi Ghanshampuriya, two Glock 09 mm pistols with four live cartridges, one pump action 12 bore rifle, one .32 bore revolver, one .30 bore pistol and live cartridges were recovered from them,” said Mr. Gupta. The Verna car they were travelling in was also seized.

He said Gora is already facing criminal charges in 14 cases in various districts of Punjab for attempt to murder, assault, snatching, dacoity and gang war among others.

Mr. Gupta said during preliminary interrogation, Gora revealed that he was in close contact with Baljinder Singh Billa Mandiala, who was well connected with Pakistan-based drugs and arms smugglers, Mirza and Ahmdeen, and had received many consignments of weapons and drugs from them in the Ferozpur area. “Pakistani drug-arms smuggler Mirza has been working as courier on Indo-Pak border for the Khalistan Liberation Force and had smuggled many weapon consignments into India,” he said.

A case under Section 392, 212, 216 A, 506, and 120-B of the IPC and 25, 27 Arms Act has been registered against the gangsters and investigation is on, he said.