A Correspondent:
Chattogram: Police uncovered an alleged long-running arms manufacturing operation run under the cover of a CNG-run auto-rickshaw workshop in Hathazari upazila of Chattogram.
During a raid early Tuesday, police recovered five firearms, including a locally made pen gun, 20 rounds of ammunition and various equipment used for making weapons.
Chattogram District Police Superintendent Md Masud Alam said police launched surveillance after receiving intelligence about a gang manufacturing and supplying illegal firearms.
As part of the operation, a team led by Additional Superintendent of Police of Hathazari Circle Kazi Md Tarek Aziz raided Mansurabad Colony in Mirzapur Union around 2am on Tuesday.
Police detained Md Jamal Hossain alias Jamal Mistry, 44, and Md Kabir, 47, during the raid.
One pen gun, four locally made pistols, 18 pen-gun bullets and two pistol bullets were recovered from their possession, police said.
During initial interrogation, the detainees told police that locally made firearms were manufac-tured at Osman’s CNG auto-rickshaw workshop at Sarkarhat Bazar in Hathazari and later supplied for sale in different areas.
Police said the operation helped identify an important source of illegal firearm manufacturing and bring members of the alleged arms supply network under the law.
Police are continuing efforts to arrest Osman and others allegedly involved in the operation, Super-intendent Masud Alam said.
He added that Chattogram District Police would continue operations and legal action to prevent the spread of illegal firearms and dismantle their sources.
