With the arrest of one person who was found to be in possession of a country made pistol in Mira Road on 17, March, the total number of illegal firearms recovered by the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) police has reached five in the first three months of 2023.
While seven people found to be carrying illegal arms have been arrested, this year, a cursory glance at the statistics provided by MBVV officials, a total of 75 people were arrested and 43 firearms included in the past four years from 2019 to 2022.
Origin and destination of the firearm unknown
Apart from 319 live cartridges, personnel attached to various police stations and crime detection units attached to the MBVV have seized firearms including 32 country-made weapons and 12 pistols of .32 bore, .12 bore and 9mm. It was pointed out that illegal arms flowed from other states, mainly Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Bihar.
While cases under the relevant sections of the Maharashtra Police Act-1951 and Arms Act are registered against the accused who mostly turn out to be just carriers, the actual mastermind of the racket are rarely exposed. Moreover, the actual origin and destination of the firearm remains unknown in most cases.
