In a significant breakthrough against organised crime, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), in collaboration with the Ahmedabad City Crime Branch and the Surat City Crime Branch, dismantled a sprawling arms trafficking racket that spanned multiple states. The syndicate was reportedly acquiring firearms using fabricated arms licences purportedly issued from Manipur and Nagaland.

Acting on directives from senior state police officials to monitor organised crime—particularly narcotics and illegal arms trafficking—the ATS launched surveillance operations which led to a network of individuals procuring weapons through fraudulent documentation.

The investigation, spearheaded by ATS Deputy Superintendent of Police S L Chowdhury, uncovered that individuals, including Vishal Pandya, Dhaveet Mehta, Arjun Algotar, Dhairya Zariwala, Ghelabhai Bharwad, and Mukesh Bambana, had paid substantial sums to acquire weapons through a gun shop in Nuh, Haryana. The shop was reportedly run by Sokatali Chotukhan and Farooq Ali Chotukhan, alongside an associate named Asif. The suspects were found to have used fake arms licenses issued in their names from Manipur and Nagaland.

Police Inspector N R Brahmbhatt and his team were tasked with verifying the intel. Their investigations, which extended to various Indian states, revealed that over the past six years, several individuals from Gujarat had obtained firearms using counterfeit arms licenses from the northeastern states.

Following coordinated efforts involving district Special Operations Groups (SOGs) from Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Surendranagar, Rajkot, Botad, and Morbi, the authorities questioned and recorded statements from suspects across Gujarat. It was discovered that at least 49 individuals had procured arms through this fraudulent route. Those named include Selabhai Velabhai, Vishal Mukeshbhai Pandya, Arjun Lakhubhai Algotar, Dhairya Hemantbhai Zariwala, Sadam Hussain, Brijesh alias Bidu Mehta, and Mukesh Ranchodbhai Bambana.

Further, three arms dealers—Sokatali, Farooq Ali, and Asif—were found to be at the core of this operation, selling weapons, including revolvers, pistols, 12-bore shotguns, and live ammunition to individuals across Gujarat. These weapons were kept by the purchasers under the pretext of being legally acquired.

Multiple ATS teams were dispatched to Nagaland, Manipur, and Haryana as part of the crackdown. The operation resulted in the seizure of six firearms—comprising three 12-bore shotguns, two pistols, and one revolver—alongside 135 rounds of ammunition.

Legal proceedings under the Arms Act have been initiated in Gujarat, and seven individuals have been arrested so far. Authorities have identified 49 gang members directly involved, and investigations have traced links to over 100 more individuals (referred to as ISMs) who are believed to have acquired firearms through similar fraudulent methods. A significant number of additional weapons are expected to be recovered as the probe progresses.

Officials noted that the gang employed multiple tactics, including forging entire licenses, altering legitimate documents, and manipulating historical firearm records. The Gujarat ATS has launched an intensive investigation to dismantle the entire network and hold all involved parties accountable.