Mumbai: In a significant development in India’s crackdown on transnational drug networks, alleged gangster and drug kingpin Salim Dola was brought to Mumbai on Wednesday evening for questioning by law enforcement agencies. Dola, believed to be an associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, was flown into Indira Gandhi International Airport from Turkey a day earlier.
The operation marks a coordinated effort between Indian intelligence agencies and Turkish authorities, highlighting growing international cooperation in tackling organised crime.
Detained in Turkey following Indian intelligence inputs
According to officials, Dola was detained on Saturday by Turkish intelligence agencies based on inputs shared by Indian authorities. A Red Notice had been issued against him through Interpol, paving the way for his detention and subsequent transfer to India.
Following his arrival in Delhi, he was moved to Mumbai for further interrogation in connection with multiple narcotics-related cases.
Key player in multi-million dollar drug network
Investigators believe Dola operated an extensive synthetic drug trafficking network primarily based out of the United Arab Emirates. Sources indicate that he allegedly earned over Rs 100 crore in the past two years through illegal narcotics trade.
He is suspected to have played a crucial role as a bulk supplier, feeding drugs into distribution networks across India. His operations reportedly involved a range of substances, including heroin, charas, mephedrone, mandrax, and methamphetamine, with links traced to major seizures in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Facing serious charges under NDPS act
As per the Red Notice, Dola faces multiple charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The stringent law mandates severe penalties, including a minimum of 10 years of imprisonment for offences involving commercial quantities of drugs, along with strict bail provisions.
Authorities are now expected to question Dola extensively to uncover the full extent of his network, financial channels, and possible links to organized crime syndicates.
Officials suggest that Dola’s interrogation could provide critical leads into international drug trafficking routes and their nexus with India-based criminal networks. Agencies are also probing his alleged connections with other operatives linked to the underworld.
The case is being closely monitored as part of India’s broader strategy to dismantle narcotics syndicates with global footprints.
