Police have arrested alleged top criminal Sonet Molla, who faces 29 criminal cases, along with his associate Rakib Mia in separate drives in Narayanganj and Narsingdi, recovering a foreign-made pistol, a magazine and seven rounds of ammunition.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Md Ashikur Rahman disclosed the information at a press briefing at Narsingdi Sadar Model Police Station on Monday.
The arrests were made during separate operations in Banti, Narayanganj, and Shalidha, Narsingdi on Sunday night, reports Bangla Tribune.
Sonet, 38, is the son of Badal Molla of Satirpara in Narsingdi municipality, while his associate and brother-in-law, Rakib Mia, 28, is the son of the late Siddiq Mia of Shalidha.
According to police, Sonet faces 29 cases in different districts, including Narsingdi, on charges of robbery, murder, abduction, drug trafficking and illegal arms possession. Rakib has 11 cases against him.
Ashikur Rahman said police from Sadar Model Police Station arrested Sonet at Panchrukhhi Bus Stand in Narayanganj on Sunday night based on a tip-off.
Acting on information obtained during interrogation and following Sonet's directions, police later recovered an illegal foreign-made pistol, a magazine and seven rounds of ammunition from an open space in Shalidha.
Sonet admitted to stockpiling the firearms and ammunition to establish local dominance and carry out extortion and other criminal activities, the police official said.
Police are preparing to file a case under the Arms Act over the recovery.
In a separate operation the same night, the Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Rakib, who also faces 11 criminal cases, he added.