UP STF busts illegal arms smuggling ring in Western Uttar Pradesh

UP STF busted an interstate illegal arms racket in Baghpat, arresting key accused with 17 guns, 700 cartridges. Read more on Dynamite News

Baghpat: Uttar Pradesh police had been receiving the information about the activeness of an interstate gang involved in the smuggling of illegal weapons in the districts of western Uttar Pradesh.

In this regard, an action was initiated by forming teams in Meerut, reports Dynamite News correspondent.

On November 23, the STF team arrested the accused Rohan from Kotwali Baraut police station of Baghpat district with 17 illegal guns and 700 cartridges and registered a case against him in Kankarkheda police station, Meerut district, and sent him to jail.

The investigation in this case is being handled by the STF Field Unit, Meerut. The accused, Anil Baliyan alias Anil Banji, son of Rajendra, a resident of Sisauli village, Police Station Bhaurakalan, Muzaffarnagar district, was arrested and sent to jail along with the following seized items:

• 1 Winchester 30-bore carbine (US Rifle)

• 1 magazine for the Winchester 30-bore carbine

• 15 live cartridges for the Winchester 30-bore carbine

• 1 Springfield Armory 30-bore rifle (US Rifle)

• 1 pump-action 12-bore repeater gun

A team led by Inspector Shri Ravindra Kumar from the STF Field Unit, Meerut, was conducting an intelligence-gathering operation. The team included Sub-Inspector Shri Jaiveer Singh, Head Constable Rakam Singh, Head Constable Bhupendra Singh, and Head Constable Romish Tomar.

During this time, information was received that the wanted accused, Sariq, who smuggled illegal weapons, was present at his house. After receving the information, the STF team arrested the above accused, Sariq, from the said place and recovered the same.

Key details uncovered during interrogation

The arrested accused, Sariq, earlier used to work at Gurbax Gun House Meerut repairing weapons. He and his companions Rohan, resident of Lohda police station Baraut Baghpat; Anil Baliyan, alias Banji, resident of Sisauli district Muzaffarnagar; and Rizwan and Imran were involved in smuggling illegal weapons from one state to another for a long time.

About 7 months ago, Sariq and his associates Anil Baliyan, alias Banji, and Rohan, Rizwan, and Imran together bought 17 guns of 12 bore and 700 cartridges of 315 bore from Marhatta Gun House, Attari Road Khasa, District Amritsar, Punjab, with the intention of selling them.

They paid Rs. 40 to 50 thousand per gun (12 bore) and Rs. 100 per cartridge of 315 bore. The Marhatta Gun House owner had issued a fake receipt for the above weapons and cartridges in the name of some other person, and Anil Baliyan, alias Banji, had kept those fake receipts with himself.

Of the above guns, each gun was to be sold for Rs. 80 thousand to Rs. 1 lakh and each cartridge for Rs. 200 to Rs. 250. Even before this, Sariq and his associates, who were mentioned above, used to buy 30 bore pistols for Rs. 1 lakh and sell them to their acquaintances for Rs. 1.5 lakh per pistol.

In the month of November 2024, 17 guns of 12 bore and 700 cartridges of 315 bore brought from Punjab were brought to village Pohli Tiraha on Meerut Khirva Road to give to an acquaintance of Rohan, when suddenly the STF team arrived there.

From there, Sariq above and his companions Rizwan, Imran, and Anil Baliyan, alias Banji, fled from the spot, and his companion Rohan was arrested by the STF team with 17 guns of 12 bore and 700 cartridges of 315 bore.