PESHAWAR, Sept 19: The city police claimed to have arrested five men wanted in kidnapping cases during an operation in Regi area. However, a press release issued here on Tuesday did not mention recovery of any kidnapped person during the ‘grand operation’ in which police claimed to have seized a large quantity of illicit weapons and narcotics.

About 1,200 policemen took part in the joint operation with the crime investigation department. Armed personnel carriers were brought to the area for the operation.

During the operation, police destroyed the criminals’ dens and arrested Akhtar Ali, Lal Hussain, Zahoor, Momin and Arshad, who were wanted in murder and kidnapping cases.

The law-enforcement agencies seized 11 AK-47 riffles, 17 hand grenades, 30 pistols, four rockets, 14kg of hashish and 40kg of liquor from the hideouts.

Police also foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons from the tribal area to Punjab and arrested an Afghan smuggler near Kala Mandi on Grand Trunk Road. According to a press release, the action was taken on the basis of a tip.

One Abdus Salam Khan of Jalalabad was held and 22 pistols and 180 bullets were seized from a sacked carried by him.

The accused told police that he planned to sell the weapons in Punjab.