Delhi Police uncover ISI-backed gun running operation

New Delhi: The Delhi Police Crime Branch on Saturday uncovered a Pakistan-based arms-smuggling operation backed by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), following the seizure of high-quality pistols manufactured in Turkey and China that were headed for gangs operating across Delhi-NCR, officials said. According to the investigators, the weapons were being pushed into India using drones flown from across the border with Pakistan.

Police have arrested four alleged smugglers—identified as Mandeep, Ajay, Dalwinder and Rohan—who belong to different districts of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Officials said the arrests opened up a wider probe into how many consignments may have already slipped into the country through this channel and which criminal syndicates or gang networks might have received them.

To trace the full network, including foreign handlers and cross-border coordinators, specialised teams are now analysing mobile tower locations, digital footprints, bank transfers, and activity on encrypted social media platforms, an official familiar with the case confirmed.

Investigators said the four accused were part of a structured module responsible for sourcing sophisticated foreign-made firearms from Pakistan—brought in through drone drops near the border—and distributing them to high-profile criminal organisations, including gangs led by Lawrence Bishnoi, Jitendra Gogi, the Bambiha group, and Haryana-based gangster Himanshu Bhau.

Acting on precise intelligence inputs that a fresh cache of weapons was on its way to Delhi, the Crime Branch mounted a surveillance operation and laid a trap in the Rohini area. The accused were intercepted during this operation, and police recovered 10 advanced pistols of Turkish and Chinese origin along with a significant quantity of ammunition.

Officials noted that the finish, firepower and reliability of the seized weapons, combined with the scale of trafficking, suggest an organised, well-funded and multilayered international network. According to the police, the entire supply chain was run from Pakistan, where arms imported from Turkey and China were consolidated before being dispatched to India.

The consignments were subsequently dropped in Punjab through drones, after which smuggling units based in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh transported the weapons to Delhi, Haryana and other adjoining regions, supplying them to multiple crime syndicates.

Police said they seized six Turkey-made PX5.7 pistols and two China-made PX3 pistols during the operation. Turkish-made PX5-type pistols have increasingly become the preferred choice for gang members and illegal traffickers in India due to their affordability, availability and compatibility with established smuggling routes. These firearms are significantly cheaper than European brands such as Glock, CZ or Beretta. On the black market, a Turkish PX-series pistol can be purchased for around Rs 40,000 to Rs 80,000, whereas original European models cost several times more. This price gap makes Turkish weapons an appealing option for mid- and lower-level criminals seeking modern, reliable pistols at a fraction of the cost.

These weapons typically enter India through multiple established trafficking corridors, including: Pakistan–Punjab via drones and border smugglers; from Nepal to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar; from Bangladesh to West Bengal and Assam. The same routes used for narcotics, counterfeit currency and gold smuggling are also exploited to bring in small arms. A significant quantity of Turkish weapons flows first into Pakistan—where they are bought at low rates—before being diverted into India through Punjab or Rajasthan and then sold at inflated prices to criminals. Pakistan’s illegal weapons market has long served as a major distribution hub for such arms.

Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) has reported a major escalation in drone-based smuggling attempts from Pakistan this year. The BSF has neutralised 255 drones so far, many of which were used to ferry heroin, weapons, and explosives across the border. Earlier this month, the BSF confirmed it had intercepted 251 drones until then. Up to November 14, the force had additionally recovered 329 kg of heroin, 16 kg of ICE (methamphetamine), 191 firearms, 12 hand grenades, and over 10 kg of explosives. The BSF also neutralised three Pakistani intruders and detained 240 Indian smugglers along with 19 Pakistani nationals, all of whom were allegedly involved in various forms of cross-border criminal activity.