Big Blow to D-Company: Key Dawood Associate And Drug Kingpin Salim Dola Deported to India After Arrest in Istanbul

New Delhi: In a major victory for Indian law enforcement and intelligence agencies, Salim Dola- a close associate of mafia kingpin Dawood Ibrahim and a notorious narcotics kingpin- was deported from Istanbul to India on Tuesday (April 28), dealing a severe blow to the international drug trade.

Following a successful joint operation between Indian intelligence and international agencies, Dola was transported to Delhi Airport via a special aircraft early Tuesday morning. He is currently being interrogated by intelligence officials as authorities probe his links to global syndicates.

Apprehended in Turkey

The deportation comes in a day after Dola, a notorious Indian drug lord wanted under an Interpol Red Notice, had been apprehended by Turkish authorities following a high-stakes raid in Istanbul, as per reports.

Dola was arrested on April 25 after the Narcotics Crimes Division of the Istanbul Police Department launched a targeted operation to intercept the Indian national. Dola, who is wanted for 'drug trafficking', was located hiding in a residence in the Beylikduzu district.

After security teams confirmed the suspect's precise location through extensive technical and physical surveillance, an operation was launched at the identified address to apprehend Dola. Once in custody, he was processed for immediate deportation to India. 

Crackdown in Turkey

The crackdown in Turkey aligns with ongoing investigations in India, where associates captured in Mumbai's Kurla region reportedly confessed to receiving instructions from Dola, as per reports. 

During those related raids in India, authorities seized 126 kilograms and 141 grams of mephedrone alongside 2,522,000 Indian rupees. The Istanbul Police Department has since completed the necessary station procedures for the high-profile detainee. 

What Interpol Red Notice says

The Interpol Red Notice specifies that Dola is facing a series of charges under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. This Indian legislation prescribes a minimum decade-long prison sentence for significant violations and maintains rigorous criteria for bail, especially when the seizure involves commercial-grade quantities of narcotics.  

Officials are now anticipated to charge him under the provisions of the NDPS Act and other acts for offences committed.