More than 4,000 alleged criminals were arrested with several contraband items and firearms in their possession by the Southern Range of the Delhi Police in a six-month-long crackdown against organised crime. The campaign, titled Crackdown-2025, was initiated in January this year across the South and Southeast districts of the capital, Joint Commissioner of Police (Southern Range) SK Jain said in a statement. The officer said that between January 1 and June 30, 4,300 criminals, including robbers, snatchers, drug traffickers, arms dealers, and bootleggers, were nabbed in the southern range.  The arrests came with the seizure of 609 stolen mobile phones, 23 pistols, 149 country-made firearms and 241 live cartridges. Also seized were 262 kg of cannabis, 6.5 kg charas, 1.3 kg smack, and other synthetic drugs, cash exceeding Rs 1 crore, gold, diamonds, and household items, more than 350 stolen cars, two-wheelers and auto-rickshaws, the Joint CP said. Police said that under Operation Garuda, 421 foreign nationals, comprising 336 Bangladeshi and 85 African-origin people, were deported. Those who arranged forged documents and shelter for these people were also identified and arrested.  Under Operation Vajra, the range police cracked down against street-level crimes such as robbery and chain snatching. A total of 430 accused were arrested in robbery and snatching cases. The recoveries included 155 stolen phones, gold jewellery and 36 vehicles used in committing crimes, the officer said. A total of 455 people were arrested and 385 booked under the Arms Act in the period. At least 172 illegal firearms (pistols, country-made weapons), 241 cartridges, and 250 knives, many linked with robberies, murder conspiracies, and extortion rackets, were seized. During the six months of the operation, 170 drug traffickers were arrested in 129 cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The synthetic drugs seized from the alleged criminals possession included 490 gm of methaqualone, as well as MDMA, cocaine, and synthetic tablets. Police also intensified action under the Delhi Excise Act against those dealing in illicit liquor. CP said.

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