Drone-Smuggling Network Busted on Rajasthan Border

In a significant operation, police have disrupted a cross-border smuggling network utilizing drones to drop weapons and heroin near Rajasthan's border with Pakistan, officials revealed on Tuesday. The operation's prime suspect, Sonu alias Sukhwinder, was transported on a production warrant from Punjab's Faridkot jail and was subsequently arrested for his involvement as the network's chief handler, according to authorities.

Inspector General of Police Om Prakash disclosed that Pakistani smugglers on February 26, 2026, dispatched a drone equipped with five pistols and 325 cartridges into Indian territory near Khajuwala. The drone's crash in a mustard field, due to a technical failure, led to the confiscation of the illegal shipment after locals informed security agencies.

Further investigation highlighted that the accused orchestrated the smuggling network from behind bars, coordinating shipments across the western border. Bikaner Superintendent of Police Mridul Kachhawa stated that a confiscated mobile phone belonging to the accused houses critical data about the network, suggesting potential future arrests. Officials are treating this case as a national security issue and intensifying efforts to track local collaborators and cross-border affiliates.

(With inputs from agencies.)