Police busted an illegal arms manufacturing factory at a residence in Joynagar, South 24-Parganas, on Tuesday night and seized eight handmade small guns, two long pipe guns, apart from several unfinished arms and tools.

A special operations group of Baruipur district police, supported by Baruipur and Bokultala police, laid a trap by sending one member as a buyer to catch accused arms manufacturer-cum-supplier Rahamatullah Sheikh from his home-cum-workshop. Cops also recovered some finished arms from a pond behind his workshop.

The SP, Baruipur police district, Palash Chandra Dhali, said that acting on a tip-off a special team led by additional SP (zonal), Baruipur, Partha Ghosh and SDPO, Baruipur, Atish Biswas carried out the operation and arrested Sheikh.

"We had some inputs that a person has been manufacturing arms at Kashipur Kamaria in Joynagar. On a specific intelligence input, on Tuesday evening we carried out a raid at a house and found the arms," Dhali said.

"We have started a case and are interrogating the accused to find out about the other members," the SP said.

Police sources said a policeman posed as a buyer and convinced the accused to supply arms. However, the accused became wary and tried to mislead the cop. "Finally, he was nabbed and taken to his residence at Kashipur Kamaria where the arms were found," a senior official of Baruipur police district said. "The accused led a normal family life. Even his neighbours had no idea about his work."