MEERUT, May 30 -- The Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) has arrested an arms smuggler, a key member of the infamous Anil Banji gang, from the Kankarkheda area of Meerut, officials said. Identified as Dhirendra Singh alias Pintu Dadhi, the accused was arrested on Thursday in connection with an arms trafficking network operating between Punjab and western U.P, they said. According to STF officials, the arrest is part of an ongoing investigation that began with the seizure of a huge cache of arms in November 2024. On November 23, the STF had arrested Rohan, the son of a U.P. Police sub-inspector and a resident of Lohadda village, from Kankarkheda. He was found in possession of 17 firearms and 700 live cartridges. Rohan's arrest exposed his links to Anil, a known arms smuggler and a key associate of the Sanjeev Jeeva gang. The STF is now working to trace and recover the weapons sold by Dhirendra and others linked to the gang. According to SP, STF, Brijesh Singh, the crackdown on the arms syndicate is ongoing, and more arrests and recoveries are likely in the coming days. The Sanjeev Jeeva-Anil Banji network is believed to have smuggled weapons and ammunition from Punjab into various districts of U.P., where they were sold at exorbitant prices. Following Rohan's interrogation, the STF arrested Anil Banji on December 20, 2024. Banji was found in possession of three foreign-made rifles and shotguns, along with a cache of ammunition. His arrest marked a turning point in the investigation, revealing a wide network of accomplices and buyers operating across western U.P, officials said. Among these associates was Vipin Kumar, a resident of Wazidpur Baraut, who was arrested earlier this year. Further investigations led the STF to Dhirendra Singh, whose role in the arms racket has now come to light, officials said. STF officials revealed that Dhirendra Singh, a resident of Balmukund, Binauli Road in Baraut, was running a bicycle repair shop when he came into contact with Rohan while transporting milk from Lohadda village. Lured by the promise of quick money, Dhirendra became part of the arms smuggling ring. During interrogation, he admitted that around ten months ago, he had procured a .30 bore foreign-made pistol from Rohan for Rs 1.5 lakh and later sold it to an acquaintance for Rs 2.5 lakh....