Amritsar: Security agencies in Punjab have stepped up vigilance after the recovery of Pakistan-origin pistols carrying unusual engravings, a development being viewed as a new and concerning trend in cross-border arms smuggling.
The latest seizure was made by the Punjab Police in the Amritsar rural belt, where two high-quality firearms marked with inscriptions such as “Awan Badshah-222” and “Bhatt-007” were recovered. The weapons were allegedly linked to individuals arrested in connection with a grenade attack case in the Bhindi Saidan area. In a separate operation, city police also seized another firearm bearing a similar “Bhatt-007” marking.
Officials suspect that these inscriptions are not random but intentionally etched to serve as identifiers within illegal supply networks. According to investigators, such markings could function as signatures of specific handlers or groups, helping establish credibility and traceability among criminal operatives.
Senior Superintendent of Police Sohail Qasim Mir described the trend as a shift towards “branding” in the illegal arms trade — a method often associated with organised crime. Authorities believe this tactic may also be used to psychologically influence recruits by projecting a sense of structure and reliability within these networks.
Preliminary findings suggest that many of these weapons are being transported across the border using drones, indicating a coordinated and technologically advanced smuggling operation. The combination of aerial delivery and distinctive markings points to a well-planned system aimed at expanding reach while maintaining internal identification.
Interrogation of suspects has revealed that the weapons were allegedly supplied by handlers operating from Pakistan, with possible links to intelligence-backed networks. These firearms were reportedly intended for distribution among local modules and for use in targeted acts of violence.
Investigators also fear that such tactics may be aimed at attracting vulnerable youth, particularly in rural areas, by portraying these networks as organised and influential.
Police officials said that while several smuggling modules have already been disrupted, the emergence of engraved weapons underscores the evolving nature of the threat. Efforts are now underway to decode these markings, trace their origins, and dismantle the wider network involved.
Further inquiries are ongoing to assess the scale of this operation and prevent the spread of such weapons in the region.
