Israeli Uzi submachine guns and 34 kg heroin seized for the first time in Punjab

The Punjab Police have carried out one of the state's biggest operations to date, seizing two 9-mm Israeli-made Uzi submachine guns for the first time. During this major operation conducted by the Amritsar Rural Police, two hand grenades were also recovered along with these sophisticated weapons. The seizure was part of an action against a suspected terrorist-gangster network.

According to an NDTV report, these weapons were recovered from three suspicious individuals in the Kot Khalsa area on November 4. Under this entire operation, the police have arrested a total of 16 accused. In addition to the weapons, the police have also seized 34 kilograms of heroin, five illegal pistols, and 26 live cartridges.

Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, Inspector General of Police (Border Range), stated, "For the first time in Punjab, two sophisticated Israeli Uzi submachine guns have been recovered." He further added that these weapons are highly modern, and their seizure indicates that criminal elements are now attempting to acquire more advanced weaponry.

Preliminary police investigations have revealed that the arrested accused were in contact with handlers based abroad. These foreign handlers were assisting in delivering illegal weapons to criminal elements in Punjab. According to IG Bhullar, the foreign handlers were providing instructions to their local associates to stockpile weapons and explosive materials. Police believe these weapons and explosives were intended for use in terrorist activities, target killings, or gang rivalries.

The Punjab DGP office stated in a post on the social media platform X that the Amritsar Rural Police have exposed several networks involved in illegal weapons, explosives, and drugs trafficking. Along with this, the police have solved three major firing incidents that occurred in Beas, Mehta, and Chheharta, and have apprehended 16 accused.

Providing details on the heroin seizure, the police stated that a total of 34 kilograms of heroin was recovered through separate operations in the Gharinda and Lopoke police station areas. This included 10 kilograms from two accused on October 29, 1 kilogram from two other suspects, 10.18 kilograms from two accused on November 3, and 13 kilograms of heroin seized from an accused arrested in an old case in Lopoke.

This entire operation was carried out under the Punjab government's campaign against gangsters and narcotics. The operation was supervised by Kanwalpreet Singh Chahal, Senior Superintendent of Police (Amritsar Rural). The police are currently conducting further investigations to link the chains of this network and identify other individuals involved.