Dawood Aide Salim Dola Deported to India from Turkey

Mohammad Salim Dola, a prominent international drug trafficker and a close associate of India's most wanted fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim, was successfully deported to India from Turkey on April 28, 2026. This significant development marks a major breakthrough for Indian law enforcement agencies, particularly the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in their relentless battle against transnational organized crime and drug syndicates. Reports indicate that Dola, aged 59 and originally from Dongri in Mumbai, had been living in Turkey under a false identity, using the alias 'Hamza' on a Bulgarian passport. Indian officials are currently investigating the authenticity of this travel document. Prior to his stay in Turkey, Dola had allegedly fled India in 2018 after being granted bail in a previous case and resided in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before relocating to Turkey in 2024. Dola's apprehension in Istanbul, specifically in the Beylikdüzü district, was the result of a meticulously coordinated effort between Indian intelligence agencies and Turkish authorities, including the Turkish Intelligence Agency and local police. An Interpol Red Notice, issued at India's request in March 2024, played a crucial role in tracking his movements and facilitating his eventual detention. Upon his arrival at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday morning, Dola was immediately taken into custody by the NCB under 'Operation Global-Hunt'. He was subsequently produced before a Delhi court, which granted a two-day transit remand, allowing the NCB to transfer him to Mumbai. A Mumbai court later remanded him to NCB custody until May 8, 2026, for further interrogation in connection with a 2023 mephedrone seizure case. Dola's criminal history spans over two decades, during which he allegedly established a vast transnational drug trafficking syndicate operating across various countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe. His antecedents include direct involvement in multiple high-value seizures of narcotics such as heroin, charas, mephedrone, mandrax, and methamphetamine in Maharashtra and Gujarat. He has been identified by the NCB as a key supplier in significant drug cases, including the seizure of 20 kg of mephedrone in South Mumbai in June 2023. Additionally, he was a prime accused in a 2018 fentanyl seizure case worth approximately ₹1,000 crore, where the drugs were reportedly destined for Mexico. His alleged association with the D-Company, led by Dawood Ibrahim, is well-documented, with officials stating he took over narcotics operations previously managed by figures like Iqbal Mirchi. This deportation is seen as a significant blow to Dawood Ibrahim's drug empire. The successful deportation also underscores a deepening, albeit often understated, security alignment and functional cooperation between India and Turkey. Despite occasional geopolitical differences, the swift action by Turkish authorities on India's intelligence inputs demonstrates a pragmatic working relationship on counter-terrorism and anti-crime efforts. Union Home Minister Amit Shah praised the NCB, emphasizing the government's "zero tolerance" policy against narco-syndicates and its commitment to pursuing drug kingpins globally. This operation follows earlier successes in 2025, when Dola's son, Taher Salim Dola, and nephew, Mustafa Mohammad Kubbawala, were deported from the UAE in connection with a synthetic drug manufacturing case, further dismantling his network. The ongoing interrogation of Salim Dola is expected to reveal more intricate details about his international drug trafficking network, financial trails, and associates.

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