NEW DELHI, Nov 22: The Crime Branch of Delhi Police have dismantled an international arms trafficking module by arresting four men who were allegedly linked to the ISI-backed network supplying high-end foreign-made weapons to criminal gangs across North India, an officer said today.
According to the police, they have confiscated a cache of 10 semi-automatic pistols and 92 live cartridges from the arrested accused.
“The operation was executed by the ARSC unit of the Crime Branch following specific intelligence inputs on Wednesday about a cross-border arms syndicate tied to the Sonu Khatri alias Rajesh Kumar gang,” said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch).
Further stating about the case, he mentioned that the network allegedly smuggled T?rkiye-made PX-5.7 pistols, typically used only by special forces, and China-made PX-3 weapons into India via drones deployed along the Pakistan border.
While probing, a trap was laid near Khatu Shyam temple, Sector-28, Rohini, where a white Swift Dzire, matching the informer’s description, was intercepted.
“Two men-Mandeep Singh (38) and Dalvinder Kumar (34), both from Jalandhar-were apprehended. A hidden duffle bag inside a speaker box was found that had eight foreign-made semi-automatic pistols and 84 cartridges,” DCP Yadav informed added.
During sustained interrogation of the duo, their confession led the police to two more intermediaries: Rohan Tomar (30) and Ajay, alias Monu (37), both from Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh.
“Two additional pistols and eight cartridges were recovered from them. Both men had long standing links with gangs such as Gogi, Bhau and Kapil Sangwan and were deeply embedded in the illegal arms supply chain in Delhi-NCR,” the officer said.
Amidst the investigation, police also revealed that the Pakistan-based handlers used customised commercial drones to drop weapons at pre-selected GPS locations along the border, wrapped in carbon sheets to evade detection.
Local operatives retrieved the consignments and routed them to criminal networks across several states. Payments were allegedly channelled through hawala and proxy accounts.
Sonu Khatri, the kingpin of the syndicate, currently believed to be in the U.S., is wanted in at least 45 cases, including attempted murder and extortion. His close associate Jaspreet, who coordinated drone deliveries from Pakistan, is also absconding.
The Crime Branch has intensified efforts to trace the remaining network and cross-border handlers.
Further investigation is underway.
(UNI)
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