Amritsar, Oct. 12 -- Counter Intelligence (CI) Amritsar busted a cross-border weapon smuggling module with links to Pakistan, arresting three operatives and recovering eight sophisticated pistols from their possession in Tarn Taran, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Saturday. The arrested individuals have been identified as Mahesh alias Ashu Masih and Angrej Singh, both residents of Mari Megha village in Tarn Taran; and Arshdeep Singh, a resident of Bhikhiwind, also in Tarn Taran. The recovered weapons include three 9mm pistols and five .30 bore pistols, along with magazines. A Hero splendor motorcycle used by the accused to transport the arms consignment has also been impounded. DGP Yadav said preliminary investigations indicate that the accused were acting on the instructions of a Pakistan-based arms smuggler, who has been using drones to drop weapon consignments across the border. The trio was tasked with supplying arms and ammunition to criminals and gangsters in Punjab to fuel criminal activities in the state, he added. The DGP added that CI Amritsar had received specific intelligence inputs regarding a large consignment of illegal weapons dropped via drone in Mari Kamboke village, under Khalra police station of Tarn Taran district. Acting swiftly, a police team intercepted three suspects near Bhoose village in Amritsar rural while they were en route to deliver the weapons near Gharinda. The entire consignment was seized during the interception. Investigations revealed that Mahesh and Angrej were already wanted in a previous case registered under the Arms Act at the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC), Amritsar, in which five pistols had earlier been recovered. Further probe is underway to establish backward and forward linkages in this case to dismantle the entire network, added the DGP....