After Dawood Ibrahim-linked Salim Dola brought back to India, Amit Shah says ‘no place is safe for drug kingpins’

Salim Dola was detained in Istanbul Sunday in a joint operation by Turkey's National Intelligence Organization and the local police.

Salim Dola, an alleged key mephedrone (MD) producer and close associate of fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim, who was detained in Turkey, was brought to India Tuesday morning. He landed at Delhi airport and was taken into custody by the Delhi Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

A Delhi NCB officer said they will first interrogate Dola, 59, and then hand him over to various states, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, where cases are registered against him.

After Dola was deported, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “zero tolerance against Narco syndicate”.

“The @narcoticsbureau today made a major breakthrough in securing the return of notorious drug trafficker Mohammad Salim Dola from Turkiye. Under Modi govt’s mission to ruthlessly smash drug cartels, our anti-narcotics agencies have extended their claws across borders through a robust network of global agencies. Now no matter where they hide, no place is safe for drug kingpins,” Shah wrote in a post on X.

Dola was detained in Istanbul Sunday in a joint operation by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization and the local police.

A Dongri resident, Dola had been operating from abroad after fleeing India nearly a decade ago, running a multi-state narcotics network.

Dola’s role came into focus in 2024 after a Mumbai Police Crime Branch probe into a 4 kg MD seizure traced the supply chain from Sangli and Surat to the UAE and Turkey, where he allegedly directed operations through associates.

Last year, his son, Taher, and nephew, Mustafa Mohammad Kubbawala, were deported from the UAE through Interpol, a move officials said had weakened his network.

A known figure to narcotics agencies, Dola has been linked to international cartels and was first arrested in 1998 with 40 kg of mandrax at Mumbai airport. Investigators believe he handled narcotics operations for the D-Company after Salim Mirchi.

He has also featured in major seizures, including a Rs 1,000 crore fentanyl haul and a DRI gutka smuggling case. Agencies say his syndicate funds MD production, supplies precursor chemicals and operates clandestine labs across Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The Narcotics Control Bureau earlier announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest.

Mohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems. Experience & Authority Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field. Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus. Key Beats: Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch. Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force. Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict. Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations. Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed. Credentials & Trustworthiness Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order. He tweets @thaver_mohamed ... Read More

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Salim Dola, an alleged key mephedrone (MD) producer and close associate of fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim, who was detained in Turkey, was brought to India Tuesday morning. He landed at Delhi airport and was taken into custody by the Delhi Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

A Delhi NCB officer said they will first interrogate Dola, 59, and then hand him over to various states, including Maharashtra and Gujarat, where cases are registered against him.

After Dola was deported, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, “zero tolerance against Narco syndicate”.

“The @narcoticsbureau today made a major breakthrough in securing the return of notorious drug trafficker Mohammad Salim Dola from Turkiye. Under Modi govt’s mission to ruthlessly smash drug cartels, our anti-narcotics agencies have extended their claws across borders through a robust network of global agencies. Now no matter where they hide, no place is safe for drug kingpins,” Shah wrote in a post on X.

Dola was detained in Istanbul Sunday in a joint operation by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization and the local police.

A Dongri resident, Dola had been operating from abroad after fleeing India nearly a decade ago, running a multi-state narcotics network.

Dola’s role came into focus in 2024 after a Mumbai Police Crime Branch probe into a 4 kg MD seizure traced the supply chain from Sangli and Surat to the UAE and Turkey, where he allegedly directed operations through associates.

Last year, his son, Taher, and nephew, Mustafa Mohammad Kubbawala, were deported from the UAE through Interpol, a move officials said had weakened his network.

A known figure to narcotics agencies, Dola has been linked to international cartels and was first arrested in 1998 with 40 kg of mandrax at Mumbai airport. Investigators believe he handled narcotics operations for the D-Company after Salim Mirchi.

He has also featured in major seizures, including a Rs 1,000 crore fentanyl haul and a DRI gutka smuggling case. Agencies say his syndicate funds MD production, supplies precursor chemicals and operates clandestine labs across Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The Narcotics Control Bureau earlier announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for information leading to his arrest.