Salim Dola Deported to India After Arrest in Turkey
Salim Dola, a 59-year-old drug lord and close associate of Dawood Ibrahim, who controlled the international drug syndicate of the underworld’s D-Company, estimated to be worth nearly ₹5,000 crore annually, has been deported to India. He arrived in Delhi in the early hours of April 28 (Tuesday).
Dola was arrested in Istanbul in a joint operation conducted by Turkish intelligence and local police units, based on an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued against him at the request of India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Key Role in D-Company’s Global Narcotics Network
Dola had been wanted by Indian security agencies across multiple states for his senior role in managing Dawood Ibrahim’s transnational drug and narcotics network. He had reportedly been on the run for over a decade.
His arrest and deportation are being seen as a major setback to D-Company’s illegal drug trade. A senior Mumbai Police officer reportedly said, “If Dola has been detained, then it’s great news and a significant blow to his trafficking network.”
History of Dola’s Drug Operations
Originally a resident of Dongri in Mumbai, Dola first came under the radar in 1998 when he was intercepted at Mumbai airport with 40 kg of mandrax.
He resurfaced in 2024 when the Mumbai Police Crime Branch seized 4 kg of mephedrone, tracing the supply chain from Sangli and Surat to the UAE and Türkiye, where Dola was allegedly heading narcotics operations.
Authorities have also linked him to:
- A ₹1,000 crore fentanyl seizure
- A Directorate of Revenue Intelligence case involving gutka smuggling
Additionally, his son Taher Dola and nephew Mustafa Mohammad Kubbawala were extradited from the UAE in June 2025.
Structure and Scale of the Network
According to Indian law enforcement agencies, Dola’s network:
- Financed mephedrone production
- Supplied precursor chemicals used in drug manufacturing
- Operated unauthorised drug labs in Maharashtra and Gujarat
What Happens Next?
Dola is currently in the custody of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Delhi. He is expected to be handed over to Mumbai Police and other state agencies where multiple cases are pending against him.
Investigators believe his interrogation will help uncover the operational structure of D-Company’s narcotics network, identify key associates, and trace financial channels supporting the syndicate.