Delhi Police Bust ISI-Linked Arms Smuggling Racket Using Drones to Supply Foreign Weapons to Notorious Gangs

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has dismantled a sophisticated weapons smuggling network with direct links to Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), uncovering a cross-border operation that used drones to drop advanced foreign-made firearms from Turkey and China into India.

The crackdown led to the arrest of four key operatives and the seizure of 10 high-end semi-automatic pistols and 92 live cartridges, averting what officials believe could have been a major gang war in the capital region.

Who were the arms smugglers?

According to the police, the arrested smugglers, identified as Ajay, Mandeep, Dalvinder and Rohan, were instrumental in supplying weapons to some of North India’s most notorious criminal syndicates, including the Bishnoi, Bambiha and Gogi gangs.

The busting operation was supervised by DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, whose team had been tracking the syndicate’s activities following intelligence inputs about an impending weapons delivery in Delhi.

How was the arms-running busted?

The breakthrough came on November 19, 2025, when the Crime Branch intercepted Mandeep in Rohini during a planned weapons handover. His interrogation revealed that two more operatives were en route to collect additional firearms.

Acting swiftly, officers apprehended Rohan and Ajay, both residents of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, and recovered two more pistols from their possession.

Police officials confirmed that Rohan is an associate of the infamous Jitender Gogi gang, underscoring the syndicate’s deep penetration into organised crime networks.

How was the Pakistan nexus exposed?

Joint Commissioner of Police Surender Kumar said the investigation exposed a Pakistan-backed module that had been trafficking weapons made in Turkeye and China.

Among the seized items were five Turkish-made PX-5.7 pistols, typically used only by special forces, and three Chinese-made PX-3 pistols, highlighting the sophistication and lethality of the weapons being funneled into India.

How were drones used for the arms smuggling?

What makes the operation particularly alarming, officials noted, is the use of drones to smuggle arms across the border. “The location is sanitised and then the drone drops the weapons,” Kumar explained.

To avoid radar detection, the firearms were wrapped in carbon-coated materials. Eight weapons had already been dropped in Punjab and moved to designated locations in Delhi before the arrests were made.

Who was the handler of the arms running gangs?

Investigators have also identified a key US-based handler, Jamseet Jassa, who is believed to be coordinating the syndicate’s activities from abroad. Police say at least three more suspects have been identified, and further arrests are likely as the probe widens.

Authorities believe the successful operation has dealt a significant blow to a transnational arms network that posed a serious security threat.

How is this bust indicative of growing trend?

With direct ISI involvement, international sourcing of weapons and drone-enabled delivery systems, the racket reflects a growing trend of state-assisted criminal infiltration aimed at destabilising India’s internal security.

Officials say the investigation will now focus on mapping the full extent of the supply chain and dismantling the remaining nodes of the racket.