Dawood Ibrahim Aide Salim Dola Deported to India, to Be Handed Over to NCB

April 28, 2026

New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough for Indian law enforcement and intelligence agencies, Salim Dola, a close aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim and a key figure in an international drug syndicate, was deported on Tuesday. The operation marks a major step in the country’s ongoing crackdown on transnational narcotics networks.

According to sources, Dola is currently being interrogated by intelligence agencies in Delhi and will subsequently be handed over to the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai for further investigation. He is expected to be questioned in connection with several cases related to large-scale drug trafficking and international smuggling.

Dola was recently arrested in Istanbul, Turkey, in a joint operation involving local law enforcement and intelligence units. His detention was based on an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued at the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Indian authorities, particularly the Mumbai Police, had been seeking his custody for years in connection with multiple narcotics-related cases.

Dawood network crackdown intensifies with multiple extraditions and deportations

Officials estimate that Dola operated a drug empire worth approximately Rs 5,000 crore, making him one of the most significant players in the syndicate. His arrest is seen as a major blow not only to the Dawood Ibrahim network but also to its alleged financial channels. Investigators believe that proceeds from narcotics trafficking were used to fund activities detrimental to India’s security interests.

Investigations have revealed that the network operated a transnational synthetic drug trafficking system spanning several countries. It allegedly established laboratories and manufacturing units in various parts of India to produce and distribute illegal substances.