LAHORE, March 14: The Crimes Investigation Agency police claimed on Wednesday to have arrested 30 members, including a constable, of three gangs of robbers and thieves and traced three kidnap-for-ransom cases.

The police also seized over Rs5.5 million cash, nine cell phones, jewellery, cameras, LCDs, DVDs, laptops, three motorcycles, four cars and illegal weapons from the possession of the accused.DIG (Investigation) Ali Aamir Malik, who was flanked by SSP (Investigation) Abdul Razzaque Cheema and CIA SP Capt Liaquat Ali Malik (retired), told a news conference that different CIA teams took part in the arrests.

He said the Ejaz alias Jadgi gang, Irfan Butt gang and the Asghar Bhatti gang were busted, adding the arrested accused were involved in committing robberies at residences of government officials and targeting a telecom company office.

The DIG said at least 55 cases of dacoity, house robbery, burglary, theft, street crime, car and motorcycle snatching had been traced against the suspects in different police stations.

He said among those arrested were also constable Ahsan, 12 proclaimed offenders and nine other history-sheeters.

Aamir Malik said the police also traced three cases of ransom out of which two cases proved to be fake as victims had staged a self-created drama.

He said four-year-old Muhammad Zain kidnapped from Shalimar for a Rs500,000 ransom was retrieved after the family paid Rs200,000. He said the police also arrested the suspects.

The DIG said trader Tahir Azeem of Bansanwala Bazaar, Shadbagh, and shopkeeper Muhammad Siddique of Raiwind had failed to pay the money borrowed from different people and thus staged a drama of their kidnapping for ransom.

Tahir Azeem, whose in-laws are rich, received Rs200,000 from them while Siddique demanded Rs1.5 million ransom through his friends as he had to pay Rs600,000 to his lenders.