The Delhi Police Crime Branch has uncovered a major international arms trafficking network with direct operational links to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), exposing a sophisticated cross-border pipeline of foreign-made weapons being funneled into India through drone drops in Punjab.
DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav confirmed that four key operatives Ajay, Mandeep, Dalvinder, and Rohan have been arrested for their role in smuggling high-grade weapons sourced from Turkey and China, routed through Pakistan, and circulated to criminal gangs across Delhi and multiple northern states.
Investigators revealed that Pakistani handlers coordinated drone-based delivery of advanced pistols into Punjab, from where the arrested accused collected the drops and distributed them to organised crime networks. Police described the operation as “highly coordinated, technologically advanced, and deeply disturbing in terms of national security.”
During the crackdown, the Crime Branch seized 10 semi-automatic pistols, including the Turkey-made PX-5.7, a weapon typically used by elite special forces due to its precision and armor-piercing capabilities. Additionally, China-made PX-3 pistols and 92 live cartridges were recovered, confirming that the network had multiple global supply lines working through Pakistan.
Two of the arrested suspects are residents of Punjab, where the drone consignments were frequently dropped before being supplied to gangs across Delhi, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh.
Police say the syndicate had established a secure communication chain and relied on encrypted channels to coordinate with Pakistan-based handlers, ensuring minimal traceability. The use of drones for weapons trafficking mirrors tactics employed by terror groups, raising concerns over the expanding technical capabilities of cross-border smuggling networks.
The Crime Branch has initiated further investigations to identify additional recipients, handlers operating abroad, and their financial backers. Authorities believe the busted network may be part of a larger ISI-backed effort to arm criminal syndicates and destabilise internal security.
More arrests are expected as the probe expands into transnational channels operating between Pakistan, Turkey, China, and local criminal gangs inside India.
