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Criminals gangs busted

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab police, during its recent drive against the outlaws, have busted various gangs of criminals wanted in heinous crimes, including murder, theft, car stealing and drug smuggling.

A spokesman claimed on Sunday that during the campaign, 169 culprits were arrested and huge quantity of illicit weapons and drugs were recovered from their possession.

The spokesman also claimed that 78 proclaimed offenders and court absconders were apprehended during the drive.

He said that three gangs of criminals, involved in 134 incidents of dacoities and robberies, were busted and looted goods worth 1.7 million recovered.

He said that during the raids, Hanjarwal police station busted a gang of criminals, comprising Zafar Iqbal, Madad Ali, Iftikhar Ali, Mohammad Yamin and Mohammad Nawaz and recovered a stolen car, Rs 50,000 cash, prize bonds and wrist watches worth Rs 0.5 million.

The gang, he said, had committed crimes in Lahore, Okara, Sahiwal and other areas.

Rang Mehal police busted a three-member notorious gang and arrested Riaz Ahmed, Rashid Minhas and Haji Mohammad Yousuf.

Islampura police, he added, also arrested a 12-member gang of criminals comprising Mohammad Fayyaz, Altaf alias Taddy, Sher Afzal, Mohammad Ashraf Khan, Rahamat alias Shaikh, Tariq, Mohammad Aslam, Saleem Masih, Rafiq Masih, Tariq Masih, Riaz Masih and Mukhtar Ahmed.

The police party also recovered three stolen vehicles and a motorbike.

During the investigations, they confessed to having stolen 131 vehicles from various cities.

Meanwhile, during a series of raids the Lahore police arrested 51 proclaimed offenders, 27 court absconders and recovered one rifle, five handguns, 15 revolvers, nine mausers, 39 pistols, three carbines and 139 bullets.

The police parties also arrested 97 outlaws involved in smuggling and recovered over three kg of heroin, eight kg of hashish and 188 bottles of liquor, the spokesman claimed.