Ahmedabad’s medical tourism has been hailed for long. From kidney and heart transplants to surrogates, Gujarat has been pioneering trends in healthcare.
However, when the crime branch was tipped off about such a “medical case” also dabbling in “making ammunition,” sleuths immediately swung into action. On further investigation, it was unearthed that the weapon parts are shipped to Yemen, for use in the ongoing civil war.
Following arrest of a Yemen national in Rajkot earlier this month, the police has unearthed a thriving weapons manufacturing racket in the state. The market for weapons has been fuelled by the ongoing civil war in Yemen.
According to the Crime Branch, Abdul Aziz Al-Azzani, a Yemeni national, was in India on a medical visa from his father’s treatment. The patient’s medical work done, he returned home but Abdul stayed back at an apartment in GIDC, Ahmedabad. “It was from here that he structured the business. He obviously has been helped by local hands. We are looking into the case,” added the source. Parts of AK-47 and AK-56 were made in Rajkot and delivered a courier service, “Zambaj Agencies.”
Interrogation post arrest revealed that Abdul Aziz Yadya Mohammad Al-Azzani (Uv. 36, Rada Albandhan Yaman) was a contact point for the AK 47 parts manufacturing racket. GIDC premises was used as the base for the unlawful act. When the crime branch team raided the address on Feb 10, they also found computerized graphics of different parts of the rifle and various catalogues of the engineering company, of “headquartered” in Room 211 of Hotel Sky Inn near Nikol Ring Road. The accused did not have any license to own or purchase rifle parts as well as to import or export it. His friend, one Munir Muhammad Qasim, also a Yemen national, is under the scanner. Briefing media persons, DCP, crime branch Chaitanya Mandlik stated that the accused used a pump and gas pipe to make the weapon parts.
