The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police arrested five suspects, including four personnel belonging to the Levies on Wednesday for allegedly smuggling weapons, in an operation near Kohat’s Marai checkpost, according to a police statement.

The statement, issued by Kohat Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) Fazl Naeem, said: “The police have foiled a dangerous subversive plan. Five suspects have been arrested during the operation.

“Four members of the Levies Force are among the suspects caught smuggling a large amount of arms and ammunition,” it added.

The statement quoted Kohat Superintendent of Police (SP) Operations Zahid Khan as saying: “A heavy consignment of arms and ammunition were being illegally smuggled in a government pickup truck.”

He added that the four Levies personnel involved were immediately suspended.

He added that the seized arms included light and heavy weaponry, explosive ordnance and thousands of rounds of bullets.

The PRO’s statement further quoted SP Khan as saying that the weapons were being transported “from Orakzai to Darra Adam Khel for some subversive activity”.

The operation is the result of a joint plan of the Kohat Regional Police Officer Sher Akbar Khan and District Police Officer Jamilur Rehman, the SP added.

The police statement said a case on the matter has been filed at Kohat’s Usterzai police station and further investigation was under way.

“Interrogation is being carried out on the suspects on various aspects, including sabotage, and important confessions are also expected from them,” he said.

The KP Police also shared pictures of the seized arms and ammunition on its official Twitter account.