International arms smuggler nabbed in Lucknow

LUCKNOW: An international arms and wildlife smuggler was arrested and arms worth crores of rupees were seized from his possession, police said today.

Tariq Khan, resident of Jopling road, was intercepted last night when he was travelling on a bike, imported illegally, with a foreign made double barrel gun, SSP Yashasvi Yadav said.

Khan was unable to produce papers of bike and gun, and on being interrogated, he confessed his involvement in foreign and country arms smuggling, the SSP said.

The police later recovered a cache of fire arms, both foreign and country made, including a single barrel gun, a .315 bore rifle, an AK-47 rifle, a machine gun, 16 other rifles, two revolvers, two pistols, besides three animal skins, three bullet proof jackets, cartridges, swords and knives, he said.

"He is member of an organised gang. The weapons recovered from him are not even used by the police. Besides gas propelled gun and telescopic gun, swords and knives recovered are made in Korea, China, and Spain. One of the best weapons of the world have been recovered from him," Yadav said.

Tariq admitted his involvement in the trade for past one-and-a-half-years and that he used to smuggle foreign arms and sell them after minor changes, he said.

On being asked about the route for smuggling, Yadav said that it was not yet clear but prima facie it appeared that sea route was used and parts of these weapons were brought and later assembled in country.

"It's an international gang. Some white collar persons of underworld are involved in it. We are probing the matter and could not divulge more details at this time," Yadav said.

About prospective buyers of these arms, Yadav said that a number of names have come to the fore from his call details that will be disclosed at an opportune time.