D-Company associate and drug kingpin Salim Dola detained in Turkey | Mumbai News

April 26, 2026 Headlinesnews

2 min readMumbaiApr 26, 2026 04:59 AM IST

Salim Dola (59), an alleged key mephedrone (MD) producer and close associate of fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim, has reportedly been detained in Istanbul in a joint operation by Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization and local police.

A Dongri resident, Dola had been operating from abroad after fleeing India nearly a decade ago, running a multi-state narcotics network. Indian agencies are expected to initiate extradition proceedings under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. A senior IPS officer confirmed the detention but said no official communication has yet been received.

Dola’s role came into focus in 2024 after a Mumbai Crime Branch probe into a 4 kg MD seizure traced the supply chain from Sangli and Surat to the UAE and Turkey, where he allegedly directed operations through associates.

Last year, his son Taher and nephew Mustafa Mohammad Kubbawala were deported from the UAE via the Interpol framework, a move officials said had weakened his network.

A known figure to narcotics agencies, Dola has been linked to international cartels and was first arrested in 1998 with 40 kg of mandrax at Mumbai airport. Investigators believe he handled narcotics operations for the D-Company after Salim Mirchi.

He has also featured in major seizures, including a Rs 1,000 crore fentanyl haul, and a DRI gutka smuggling case. Agencies say his syndicate funds MD production, supplies precursor chemicals and operates clandestine labs across Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The Narcotics Control Bureau had earlier announced a Rs 1 lakh reward for information on him.

Manish Kumar Pathak is a dedicated journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates substantial Expertise and Authority across the complex field of crime reporting, with a strong focus on law enforcement actions, fraud, and cyber security challenges facing the metropolitan region.
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Manish Kumar Pathak’s consistent focus on crime, fraud, and the workings of the Mumbai police system establishes him as a trusted and authoritative source for critical news in Western India. … Read More

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