Chandigarh - In a major breakthrough, the Punjab Police have arrested one of the most- wanted gangster Baljinder Singh Billa, having alleged links with militants in Pakistan and Germany.

Another notorious gangster Sukhjinder and five other members of the Billa gang, have also been arrested, alongwith a large consignment of highly sophisticated weapons smuggled in from Pakistan, as well as drug money, reportedly smuggled from across the border at different times through several modes, including drones.

DGP  Dinkar Gupta said Baljinder Singh Billa was wanted in more than 18 criminal cases including, murder, attempt to murder and smuggling of weapons/drugs etc. All the arrested accused have been kept separately as they are being tested for COVID-19 by a special team of doctors.

The police have recovered highly sophisticated weapons, smuggled from Pakistan, including two 30 bore Drum Machine Guns, three Pistols (Marked SIG Sauer made in Germany), two Glock Pistols (made in Austria), two 30 bore Pistols, one 32 bore Pistol, one .315 bore Rifle, 341 live Cartridges and two drum magazines, 14 Pistol magazines along with drug-money of three lacs eight hundred eighteen rupees and one hundred Australian dollars, said Gupta.

Terming it as one of the biggest caches of highly sophisticated weapons from a criminal gang, Gupta said the Sig Suaer Pistols are in fact being used by members of US Secret Service, which protects the highest elected leaders of the United States, especially the President of the United States.

The DGP said the preliminary investigations carried out so far, most of the weapons recovered from Billa Mandiala are learnt also came across the Indo-Pak border in different consignments. Police are also investigating the role of militants in the supply chain of illegal weapons. Further, the spokesperson disclosed that Toyota Fortuner, Etios Lava and Alto cars were also seized from the criminals, along with some fake documents.

The police have also learnt that a part of the consignment, consisting of AK-74rifles, which was pushed into the Mamdot area of Ferozepur sector from across the border on September 24, 2019 by STF Punjab, was also meant for the Billa Mandiala criminal gang.

During the preliminary investigations, Baljinder Singh Billa Mandiala has revealed that he was in contact with various Pakistan-based weapons and drugs smugglers, including Mirza and Ahmdeen, and had already received many consignments of weapons and drugs from them, mostly in the Ferozepur area.