US Mercenary Held in India for Drone Smuggling, Training Myanmar Rebels

Van Dyke, a self-described combat specialist and founder of the security firm Sons of Liberty International (SOLI), was arrested at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on March 13, around 9 pm, as part of a coordinated crackdown.

He was detained along with six Ukrainian nationals -- Hurba Petro, Slyviak Taras, Ivan Sukmanovskyi, Stefankiv Marian, Honcharuk Maksim and Kaminskyi Viktor -- who are now in NIA custody till March 27 following orders of a special Delhi court.

As per intelligence sources, Van Dyke operated as a freelancer, actively marketing his combat expertise through social media platforms such as X, YouTube and a personal website to secure assignments.

Investigators have sought detailed data from these platforms to track his activities and operational links.

The NIA's FIR alleges that Van Dyke and his team entered India on tourist visas on separate dates, flew to Guwahati, and then travelled to Mizoram without a mandatory Restricted Area Permit (RAP) or Protected Area Permit (PAP), before illegally crossing into Myanmar.

At the heart of the probe are allegations that Van Dyke's network conducted "pre-scheduled training" for Myanmar-based ethnic armed groups, focusing on advanced asymmetric warfare techniques, including drone operations, drone assembly and electronic jamming systems.

The agency has told the court that the accused admitted to conducting such training sessions on multiple occasions.

Investigators further allege that the group smuggled "huge consignments of drones" originating from Europe into Myanmar via India to enhance the operational capabilities of these armed groups. These militias, the NIA claims, are known to support insurgent outfits active within India.

The anti-terror agency has also informed the court that the accused were in contact with unidentified armed operatives carrying AK-47 rifles and had abetted terrorist and illegal activities. It further alleged that the network provided weapons, training and tactical support to proscribed Indian insurgent organisations.

Van Dyke's background, as revealed through his social media footprint, points to a long and highly publicised career as a mercenary. He reportedly fought in conflicts across Syria, Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq, including the 2011 Libyan Civil War against Muammar Gaddafi, where he was held as a prisoner of war for over five months before returning to combat. He later established SOLI, described as a military contracting firm offering training and advisory services in global conflict zones, including Iraq, Syria and Ukraine.

His online presence also shows appearances in at least two films -- one documenting his role in Libya and another promoting his security enterprise.

Investigators, sources said, believe the group had been making repeated trips to Myanmar since 2024. Eight more Ukrainian nationals, part of a larger group of 14 who allegedly entered Myanmar through Mizoram, are currently untraceable, and it remains unclear whether they are still in Myanmar or have exited via India.

NIA teams had been tracking the suspects in the Northeast for several months before the arrests, which were carried out at multiple airports, including Delhi, Lucknow and Kolkata.

In an official statement, the NIA, however, declined to disclose further details, stating that the case is at an initial stage and more information will be shared at an appropriate time.

"It is to inform that since the case is in initial stage of investigation, we will not be able to share the details with you at this stage. The same will be shared at an appropriate time. Your cooperation at this juncture is solicited," an NIA Spokesperson has said.

- ANI