New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) Wanted drug trafficker Mohammed Salim Dola, who was taken into custody by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) at the IGI airport here after securing his return from Turkey, in close coordination with international and Indian intelligence agencies under ‘Operation Global Hunt’, had established and ran a major transnational drug trafficking syndicate spanning countries across the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.

Dola, 59, a resident of Mumbai, was the subject of an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued at India’s request in March 2024. He was wanted for prosecution in multiple narcotics trafficking cases and had been absconding from Indian law enforcement agencies for several years.

Dola’s two-decade-long criminal record includes direct involvement in high-value seizures of heroin, charas, mephedrone, Mandrax, and methamphetamine in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Investigations consistently identified Dola as a bulk supplier to downstream drug distribution networks in India. He was also wanted by the Gujarat ATS and the Mumbai Police.

Earlier, his son, Taher Salim Dola, along with other associates, was arrested by Mumbai Police after extradition from the UAE in 2025.

Dola was recently arrested in Istanbul in a joint operation involving local law enforcement and intelligence units. His detention was based on an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued at the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Indian authorities, particularly the Mumbai Police, had been seeking his custody for years in connection with multiple narcotics-related cases.

The deportation and arrest of Salim Dola follow a series of high-profile actions by Indian agencies against the network. In June 2025, his son, Taher Dola, was extradited from the United Arab Emirates. Months later, another key associate, Salim Mohammed Sohail Shaikh, was deported from Dubai and arrested by the Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Cell. These developments indicate a tightening crackdown on a network involved in extensive criminal activities, including drug manufacturing, trafficking, and other illicit operations.

Officials estimate that Dola operated a drug empire worth approximately Rs 5,000 crore, making him one of the most significant players in the syndicate. His arrest is seen as a major blow not only to the Dawood Ibrahim network but also to its alleged financial channels. Investigators believe that proceeds from narcotics trafficking were used to fund activities detrimental to India’s security interests.

–IANS

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