How Did Delhi Police Bust a Major Arms and Fake Currency Cartel?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Delhi Police successfully dismantled an interstate arms and fake currency cartel.
- Five key operatives, including a kingpin and a woman trafficker, were arrested.
- Seized items include semi-automatic pistols and Fake Indian Currency Notes.
- The cartel operated across multiple states.
- Investigation ongoing to unravel the full extent of the network.
New Delhi, July 25 (NationPress) In a remarkable operation, the Delhi Police’s Special Cell (Trans Yamuna Range) has dismantled an interstate cartel involved in arms and fake currency trafficking, which spanned across Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar.
Five primary suspects have been apprehended, including the notorious kingpin and a woman trafficker. The authorities seized 10 semi-automatic pistols, 68 live cartridges, and Rs 4.10 lakh in Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN) during the operation.
Additionally, three vehicles were confiscated, including a bullet-proof Scorpio SUV utilized for smuggling activities, along with mobile phones that contained damaging communications. The operation was spearheaded by Inspectors Rahul Kumar and Vineet Kumar Tewatia under the guidance of ACP Kailash Singh Bisht.
This crackdown was initiated following a tip-off received on July 6, which led to the arrest of Ravi Thakur from Mathura, who was found with five illicit pistols and cartridges. This sequence of events resulted in further arrests, including Yogesh Phogat from Gurugram, Kuldeep alias Chhotu from Sonipat, Meera from Mathura, and ultimately the kingpin Samsu Khan alias Rehan from Firozabad.
The gang effectively utilized social media and coded messages to orchestrate the supply of arms from Madhya Pradesh and counterfeit currency from Siwan, Bihar.
The mastermind, Samsu Khan, operated from Hooghly, West Bengal, and is also a wanted figure by UP ATS for a weapons trafficking case.
Among those arrested are: Ravi Thakur, who earned Rs 5,000 per weapon; Yogesh Phogat, a prior convict in an attempt-to-murder case who served as an intermediary; Kuldeep, a former railway employee who transformed his Scorpio into a bulletproof vehicle for smuggling; and Meera, who, after separating from her husband, smuggled arms across various states under Khan’s directives. Samsu Khan managed the syndicate and oversaw the procurement of both arms and FICN.
Amit Kaushik, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), stated that investigations are ongoing to expose the full extent of this cartel and its connections between arms smuggling and fake currency operations.