Dawood aide Salim Dola brought to India after Istanbul detention in Rs 5,000-cr drug case

Salim Ismail Dola, a top-tier aide to underworld don
Dawood Ibrahim and the alleged mastermind of a Rs 5,000-crore global drug cartel, has been brought back to India after being detailed in Istanbul on Sunday.

Following a diplomatic coordination involving Turkish and UAE authorities, Dola was flown into Mumbai on Tuesday morning and immediately taken into custody by a joint team of intelligence and narcotics officials.

Dola, is currently being interrogated at an undisclosed location. Indian agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), are seeking to dismantle the “D-Company’s” synthetic drug manufacturing network that Dola allegedly operated from overseas.

#BreakingNews | Dawood’s close aide Salim Dola brought to India and is being interrogated by intel agencies@journalistanand @Arunima24 with @kritsween | #Dawood #SalimDola #India

Watch: https://t.co/aNIieODGVs pic.twitter.com/5GOoYXC5Di

— News18 (@CNNnews18) April 28, 2026

The process of bringing Dola to Indian soil was accelerated by his use of a forged UAE passport.

Since India does not have a direct extradition treaty with Turkey, Indian agencies successfully worked with the UAE to facilitate his transfer. This follows the successful deportation of Dola’s son, Taher Dola, in 2025, whose interrogation provided the digital and logistical breadcrumbs that eventually led authorities to Salim’s hideout in Istanbul’s Beylikdüzü district.

The ‘MD’ mastermind

Investigators believe Dola was the primary financier and mastermind behind a massive Mephedrone (MD) syndicate, playing a central role in funding and structuring the illegal network.

Dola is also a key accused in the 2024 Sangli drug bust, where police seized over 120 kg of high-quality MD along with laboratory equipment valued at Rs 253 crore.

Operating from his previous base in Dubai, he allegedly coordinated the supply of raw materials to clandestine labs across Maharashtra and Gujarat, while managing a far-reaching distribution network that extended to markets in the UK and Southeast Asia.

Interrogations of his deported associates have further led to inquiries into alleged high-profile drug parties. However, authorities are still verifying these claims before including them in the final chargesheet.

At present, Dola faces over a dozen charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and several cases of money laundering being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

He is expected to be produced before a special court in Mumbai later this week, where the police will seek extended custody to unearth the identities of his local “sleeper” distributors and the financial “hawala” channels used to siphon profits out of the country.