THND Staff | 22 November 2025, 17:30 IST
The drone-dropped arms bust operation by the Delhi Police Crime Branch highlights a sophisticated cross-border smuggling network from Pakistan. The bust triggered by fresh intelligence has exposed how the drone-dropped arms bust is now a critical part of India’s internal security narrative.
In a major crackdown, the Delhi Police arrested four individuals—identified as Ajay, Mandeep, Dalwinder and Rohan—who were allegedly operating a smuggling module linked to Pakistan’s ISI. According to official sources, the gang managed to import high-end pistols from Turkiye and China, which were flown by drones across the Punjab border into India.
Modus Operandi of the Drone-Dropped Arms Bust
Law-enforcement sources say the modus operandi was clear and alarming: drones launched from Pakistani territory flew across the border near Punjab, dropped packages containing sophisticated pistols and ammunition, which were then collected in staging areas inside Punjab and transported to Delhi-NCR.
The pistols seized include Turkiye-made PX-5.7 models (used by special forces) and other foreign-manufactured arms, indicating a high level of sophistication. The total haul: 10 high-end foreign pistols and 92 live cartridges.
National Security Implications
This drone-dropped arms bust underscores a critical internal security threat: the blurring of conventional boundaries in arms smuggling. Rather than simple land-route trafficking, the use of unmanned aerial systems makes detection, interception and border control exponentially more challenging.
The alleged involvement of the ISI in the smuggling module signals that the operation may not purely be criminal, but could involve state-backed elements seeking to destabilise law and order.
Officials warn that if such weapons enter gang networks in Delhi-NCR and elsewhere, the potential for escalation in organized crime and terror-linked violence rises significantly.
The drone-dropped arms bust also forces a policy rethink in terms of border surveillance, drone detection capabilities and inter-state coordination between Punjab and the National Capital Region. Punjab’s border with Pakistan has long been a conduit for smuggling; this incident indicates that the threat is evolving technologically.
Immediate Case Details and Follow-Up
The accused—Ajay, Mandeep, Dalwinder and Rohan—have been remanded into police custody. Investigations are expanding to track storage locations inside Punjab, identify recipients in gang networks, and determine the entire chain of delivery.
The Delhi Police is coordinating with Punjab Police and central agencies to assess whether this was a one-off operation or part of a larger network. Surveillance of drone flights and drop zones near the international boundary is being intensified.
Sources say arrests and seizures may follow in the coming days, as digital forensics and phone intercepts are being analysed to map the syndicate’s linkages.
