New Delhi, Mar 18 (IANS): Delhi Police's Special Cell has apprehended a 33-year-old man, who had been supplying illegal weapons, sourced from Madhya Pradesh, to gangsters of the national capital and elsewhere for more than 10 years, and his accomplice.

The accused were identified as Rahim aka Beti, a resident of Madhya Pradesh's Betul district, and Vishal Solav aka Atul, 26, a resident of Maharashtra's Amravati district.

The official said that on their search, 20 semi-automatic pistols were recovered, which were manufactured at Khargone and were being delivered to the end-user at the price of around Rs 30,000 per piece.

Deputy Commissioner of Police, Special Cell, Manoj C. said that on March 14, the police received a tip-off from a reliable source indicating that two key members of an inter-state illegal gun supply cartel would be present near Burari Chowk, Outer Ring Road, in the morning hours to deliver a significant consignment of illegal firearms to a resident of Shahdara named Asif.

Acting on this information, a police team laid a trap and successfully apprehended the accused.

During interrogation, Rahim confessed to the police that he had been involved in the illegal trade of firearms for over a decade.

"He admitted to collaborating with his co-accused, Vishal, in procuring illegal pistols from a person named Sheikh Azam in Betul Subsequently, Rahim and Vishal would distribute these firearms to criminals in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra," the DCP said.

Rahim revealed that Sheikh Azam would compensate them with sums ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000 per consignment.

Additionally, Rahim disclosed that Azam sourced the illegal weapons from manufacturers based in Madhya Pradesh and had been supplying them to various parts of the country, including Delhi, for several years.