Delhi Police uncover ISI-backed gun running operation

Drones were used to airdrop Turkish pistols and Chinese weapons.

- TIKAM SHARMA

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.