Interstate Arms Syndicate With Pakistan Links Busted In Delhi

Delhi Police dismantled a major interstate arms trafficking syndicate with suspected links to Pakistan, arresting nine individuals and seizing a significant cache of illegal firearms and ammunition.

The Delhi Police has busted an interstate arms trafficking syndicate with alleged links to Pakistan and arrested nine people after a series of coordinated raids, an official said on Wednesday.

The police seized 23 sophisticated firearms, including foreign-made pistols, and 92 live cartridges during the operation, they said.

Details of the Arms Trafficking Syndicate

The racket was allegedly operated by fugitive criminal Shahbaz Ansari, a parole jumper in a National Investigation Agency case, along with his uncle, Rehan Ansari, a proclaimed offender. The syndicate was active across north India and had an organised cross-border supply chain, they said.

According to investigators, the network sourced weapons originating from Pakistan, which were smuggled into India through the Nepal border before being routed to Delhi-NCR and various parts of Uttar Pradesh.

"The syndicate had a well-structured hierarchy and relied on encrypted communication platforms to avoid detection while coordinating procurement and distribution," a senior police officer said.

The Police Operation

The Special Cell's eastern range launched the crackdown following sustained intelligence inputs and technical surveillance aimed at curbing the use of illegal firearms in organised crime. The operations, carried out over a fortnight across Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, led to the arrest of nine key operatives.

The action began on April 14 with the arrest of Fardeen (22) from Usmanpur in northeast Delhi. Police recovered a semi-automatic pistol and cartridges from his possession.

His interrogation led to the identification and subsequent arrest of other members of the network, including Waseek, Waseem Malik, Aman alias Abhishek, Aadil, Mohammad Ahmad, Rahil, Imran and Vishal.

Seized Weapons and Further Investigation

Investigators said Waseem Malik, who was lodged in Rohini Jail in another Arms Act case, played a crucial role in coordinating supplies, while other accused handled logistics, storage and distribution of weapons.

A major haul was made during the arrest of Mohammad Ahmad in Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur, from whom 12 semi-automatic pistols, including foreign-made weapons, along with ammunition and firearm modification tools were recovered.

Overall, the seizures included 18 semi-automatic pistols, two country-made shotguns, three 'desi kattas', 92 cartridges and six magazines. Police also recovered mobile phones, a laptop containing incriminating data and tools used for repairing and modifying weapons.

Probe revealed that Shahbaz acted as the main handler of the syndicate, while Rehan coordinated finances, logistics and communication. Other members were assigned specific roles such as procuring consignments, transporting them across states and supplying them to criminal gangs.

Several of the arrested accused have prior criminal records, including cases of murder, robbery and arms trafficking, police said.

Further investigation is underway to establish the precise international supply routes, verify the Pakistan link and identify other associates involved in the network, officials added.