The Delhi Police Crime Branch has dismantled a major international arms trafficking network that allegedly supplied high-grade foreign weapons to criminal groups associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. The crackdown follows a coordinated operation that led to the arrest of key intermediaries and the seizure of sophisticated firearms believed to have been smuggled into India through routes connected to Pakistan, Turkey, and China.
According to investigators, the racket had been operating across multiple states, funnelling foreign-made pistols and ammunition into the hands of organised crime groups in North India. Preliminary findings suggest that several consignments originated from Pakistan, with intelligence pointing to possible involvement of Pakistan-based handlers and cross-border operatives. Some consignments were routed using covert channels, including drone-based drops along border regions, before being moved onward to Delhi and Punjab.
During the latest operation, the Crime Branch recovered a cache of advanced pistols manufactured in China and Turkey, along with dozens of live cartridges. Police officials described the seized weapons as compact, high-precision firearms commonly used by criminal syndicates and hit squads because of their reliability and ease of concealment.
Investigators believe the network had established a steady supply chain catering to syndicates linked with the Bishnoi-Bambiha rivalry and other active gangs operating across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi-NCR. The arrested suspects reportedly acted as couriers and facilitators, distributing weapons to gang members for extortion, contract killings, and intimidation operations.
Sources in the Crime Branch said the probe has broadened into an international investigation, with agencies examining the role of foreign manufacturers, middlemen, and potential support from extremist elements based abroad. The police are also analysing communication records to determine the financial channels used to fund the smuggling operations, including hawala routes and cryptocurrency transactions.
Officials emphasised that the bust marks a significant breakthrough in efforts to curb the flow of foreign weapons into India’s criminal ecosystem. More arrests are expected as the investigation progresses, with law enforcement agencies working to identify additional supply nodes and retrieve previous consignments that may already be in circulation. Authorities stated that unraveling this network is crucial to weakening organised crime groups that rely heavily on foreign weaponry to maintain their operational dominance.
