New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS): Three people were arrested here Tuesday morning with 22 sophisticated pistols that were being smuggled in especially designed cavities in their car, police said.

Salaam, 52, Kalua, 57, and Pradeep Mandlik, 24, were arrested from the Nand Nagari area of east Delhi on a tip-off.

"The gang would procure sophisticated pistols from Balwadi in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh and sell them to criminal elements in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR)," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

According to the officer, a total of 22 semi-automated pistols, bearing 'Made In England' mark, along with 22 magazines and a Hyundai Santro car have been recovered from the accused.

"The weapons were meant to be supplied in Kardampuri and Mangolpuri areas of west Delhi," he said.

"The weapons were concealed in in-built capsule cavities below the back seat of the car and inside the front doors," said Yadav.

The accused revealed they used to procure the illegal arms from Tanman Singh, a resident of Sendhwa in Madhya Pradesh, also a manufacturer as well as the main supplier of illegal arms and ammunition.

"They supply weapons to almost every part of the country. In the past, they had supplied at least one such consignment every fortnight," said the officer.