Bhubaneswar, Dec 6: The Special Crime Unit (SCU) of the Commissionerate Police has successfully apprehended two notorious arms smugglers, seizing a cache of illegal weapons, including 10 pistols, a carbine, and ammunition. The arrest took place yesterday, following a targeted operation based on specific intelligence.

The SCU team, led by DCP Anup Kanungo, intercepted a Bolero vehicle at the Khandagiri Overbridge in Bhubaneswar. The vehicle, traveling from Angul to Berhampur, was found to be concealing a significant stash of illicit arms inside a bag. The recovered weapons included 9MM and 7.65MM pistols, an automatic carbine, and 12 rounds of ammunition, alongside cash worth Rs 1,600 and three mobile phones.

The accused, Sumanta Naik (30) from Angul and Soubhagya Naik (30) from Dhenkanal, have been identified as key members of the arms smuggling network. Investigations indicate that the weapons were procured from Jharkhand and Munger, Bihar. Both individuals have extensive criminal backgrounds, with multiple cases registered against them, including violations of the Arms Act, robbery, and dacoity.

Police Commissioner S Devdutta Singh confirmed that the two are vital players in the regional arms supply chain, with Sumanta Naik facing six cases and Soubhagya Naik four. "We hope this arrest disrupts their supply network," he stated, adding that investigations are underway to uncover the full extent of their operations and identify the intended recipients of the arms.

The Commissionerate Police continues to probe the interstate arms trade network linked to the duo.