Pak smugglers used customised commercial drones to drop arms

Investigators in the arms module dismantled by the Delhi Police found that the traffickers based in Pakistan deployed customised commercial drones, programmed to fly at low altitudes to evade radar, to drop arms, ammunition and drugs near border.

The nexus was being operated by Sonu Khatri, alias Rajesh Kumar, a Punjab-based gangster, who fled India in 2021. As per intelligence inputs, he is believed to be operating from the USA. A red corner notice has already been issued against him. His coordinator Jaspreet, alias Jas, is also believed to be operating from abroad. They both are backed by Pakistan’s Intelligence agency ISI.

Investigators found that each drone carried small volume of arms, ammunition and other contraband, which were neatly wrapped in corus carbon papers so that they weren’t intercepted during checks.

Moreover, the consignments are dropped at pre-selected GPS coordinates along vulnerable stretches of the international border and Pakistan-based handlers frequently changed locations to avoid pattern detection.

These coordinates were relayed to receivers in India through encrypted communication platforms which were short-lived and often sent just before the drop, making it difficult for enforcement agencies to track or anticipate the movement.

On the Indian side, Jaspreet used to give instructions about pickup points to Mandeep and Dalvinder, who are childhood friends.

The duo used to further supply arms to Rohan and Ajay, alias Monu, who further supplied these illegal arms and ammunition to members of Gogi, Bhau gang and Kapil Sangwan, alias Nandu gang, in Delhi, Haryana and UP. Payments of these arms were routed through hawala channels or proxy accounts to maintain anonymity.

Sonu Khatri, alias Rajesh Kumar, who is believed to be kingpin of the nexus, is a resident of Punjab. He is found to be involved in about 45 criminal cases, including attempt to murder, extortion, NDPS Act, Explosive Act and other heinous cases.

Jaspreet is a close associate of Khatri. He used to procure arms and drugs from Pakistan and deliver these in secluded border areas using drones. Jaspreet fled India when he came under the radar of law enforcement agencies. This gang is backed by Pakistani secret agency ISI.