Delhi: The Delhi Police have busted a significant international illegal arms racket that supplied high-end China and Turkey-made weapons to gang networks linked with Lawrence Bishnoi, the Bambiha gang and the Gogi–Himanshu Bhai syndicate. Police say the racket, backed by Pakistan’s ISI, smuggled sophisticated pistols into India through Punjab using drones before distributing them across Delhi-NCR and neighbouring states.
A Crime Branch team arrested four individuals from Rohini after acting on a tip-off regarding the arrival of arms smugglers in the city. The accused are residents of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, and police believe the network had been operating for months, equipping criminals with foreign-manufactured weapons.
Sophisticated pistols recovered
Police recovered 10 advanced pistols from the accused, including five made in Turkey and three in China. The remaining two were seized during later raids. These weapons were intended for organised crime groups involved in extortion, targeted killings and violent territorial clashes.
“Under the leadership of DCP Sanjeev Yadav, Delhi Police Crime Branch has busted an arms gang being operated by Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. Four people have been arrested and 10 sophisticated pistols have been recovered,” CP Crime Surender Kumar said.
How the racket operated
On 19 November, Delhi Police arrested two suspects — Mandeep from Phillaur and Dalwinder from Ludhiana — while they were on their way to deliver weapons in Rohini. Based on information from their interrogation, police later arrested two more individuals: Rohan Tomar from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, and Ajay alias Monu. All four were allegedly part of a supply chain that smuggled weapons into India via drone drops in Punjab.
Once inside Indian territory, the weapons were moved by road to Delhi and delivered to gang operatives. Police say the racket relied on encrypted communication and spot-to-spot delivery to avoid detection.
Increased alert after Red Fort blast
The crackdown comes at a time when Delhi is under heightened security following the 10 November Red Fort blast, where a suicide bomber detonated a vehicle near the historic landmark, killing at least 14 and injuring over 20. The government later declared the incident a terrorist attack.
Officials say the exposure of this arms network is critical, as the availability of foreign-made weapons can escalate gang violence and pose significant threats to public safety, especially in a climate of increased terror concerns.
Investigation expands
The Delhi Police are now working to identify the larger network associated with the ISI, including handlers in Pakistan and domestic facilitators in Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh. Forensic tests are being conducted to confirm the manufacturing origins of the recovered pistols. Central agencies have also been briefed to investigate possible terror linkages.
Authorities expect more arrests as they analyse digital devices and communication records seized from the accused. They emphasise that dismantling such smuggling routes is essential to prevent the spread of high-grade arms across India.