Week-long op, 10 arrests: International arms module with ‘links’ to Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh busted, 21 firearms seized

The module, police said, operated out of the mazy lanes of Old Delhi’s Walled City. “Dense population, narrow lanes and high footfall provided both anonymity and logistical cover for storage and movement of arms,” an officer said.

“The module supplied high-end firearms, smuggled from abroad through the porous Indo-Nepal border into India, to gangs across Delhi-NCR and several northern states. Shahbaz Ansari from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr is the kingpin,” DCP (Crime) Sanjeev Yadav said.

According to the police, Ansari is believed to be operating from Bangladesh after jumping interim bail in 2025. Police said Ansari, who was earlier linked to Moosewala’s murder, allegedly coordinated procurement of weapons from Pakistan through handlers in Nepal and Bangladesh, while his relatives and accomplices ensured smooth movement into India.

Police said the first breakthrough in the case came on March 13 when three accused — Rahil, Hasim and Saim — were held with pistols and cartridges near Brijmohan Chowk in Daryaganj. Subsequent questioning led to arrests of suppliers, couriers, receivers and logistical enablers.
Among those arrested was Sonu Gupta, who allegedly attempted to open fire at police officers before being overpowered. “Five sophisticated pistols and 95 cartridges were seized. Multiple raids and seizures followed,” DCP Yadav said.

Officers also recovered a Czech-made Skorpion submachine gun from one Naushad from Bulandshahr following a brief scuffle. Police said it was part of a larger consignment smuggled into India through Nepal.

Officers said the syndicate operated through a layered and decentralised structure. Local operatives like Rahil handled distribution in Delhi-NCR, allegedly supplying over 70 firearms in less than a year. Consignments arrived in Delhi from Uttar Pradesh through couriers, while receivers passed supplied them to gangs involved in extortion, contract killings, etc. Other arrested accused, identified as Ghanshyam, Waseem and Nawab received consignments from Rahil, police said.

The network, police said, relied heavily on encrypted messaging platforms and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls. SIM cards obtained on forged documents were used briefly and then destroyed, making surveillance difficult. A local SIM vendor has also been arrested, they said.
Financial transactions were routed through hawala channels, ensuring minimal digital footprint. “The module used multiple intermediaries at every stage to shield the kingpin,” an officer said.

“Weapons were first routed from Pakistan to West Asia, then shipped as scrap to Nepal, where they were reassembled before being smuggled into India via border points such as Sonauli. From there, they moved through road networks into urban centres,” another officer explained.