Odisha Police Crackdown: Two Arrested in Multi-State Arms Trafficking Bust

Two individuals have been arrested in Odisha as members of an inter-state arms trafficking ring. Authorities seized 11 firearms, including an automatic carbine, from their possession. The duo was en route to deliver weapons in Berhampur. The operation highlights efforts to dismantle illegal arms networks across regions.

Odisha Police have successfully apprehended two alleged members of an inter-state arms trafficking network, confiscating an arsenal of 11 firearms, among which was a carbine, a senior official disclosed on Sunday.

The action was part of a strategic operation led by the Special Crime Unit of the Commissionerate Police, who intercepted the suspects' vehicle in Bhubaneswar's Khandagiri area. Police Commissioner S Devdutta Singh identified the suspects as Sumanta Naik and Soubhagya Naik, both aged 30, from the districts of Angul and Dhenkanal, respectively.

Authorities revealed that the duo was transporting a substantial weapons cache from Angul to Berhampur, intended for distribution among regional criminal factions. The illegal cache comprised two 9mm pistols, eight 7.65mm pistols, and an automatic carbine sourced from Jharkhand and Bihar.

According to Singh, both men have extensive criminal histories marked by numerous charges under the Arms Act and cases of robbery and dacoity. ''The Commissionerate Police is intensifying operations to dismantle such networks,'' Singh stated, highlighting the recent seizure of 23 firearms in addition to the current operation's haul.

(With inputs from agencies.)