From selling gutkha to drug syndicate… who is Dawood’s close aide Salim Dola? brought to India from Türkiye

A big news related to the underworld has come to light, which has made the long-running action of the security agencies a big success. Notorious drug mafia and close aide of Dawood Ibrahim, Salim Dola has finally been brought to India from Türkiye. After several months of surveillance and operation at the international level, he was caught and brought back to the country, where he is now being interrogated thoroughly.

Salim Dola was recently arrested by local security agencies in Istanbul city of Türkiye. After this, Indian intelligence agencies coordinated with international agencies and started the process of bringing him to India. This morning he was landed at Delhi’s technical airport by a special plane. As soon as he reached here, he was taken under security cover and interrogation was started. According to sources, after initial investigation he can be handed over to Mumbai Police or Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Who is Salim Dola?

Salim Dola was born in the year 1966 in Mumbai. At an early age, he got involved in the underworld and gradually came in contact with big names. It is said that he worked closely with Chhota Shakeel, a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim. Initially he built his network by doing small work like supplying Gutkha, but with time he got into drug smuggling. He expanded his network from marijuana smuggling to synthetic drugs business and made his mark at the international level.

In 2012, the Narcotics Control Bureau arrested him, after which he spent about five years in jail. Even after his release, he did not leave the world of crime and again set up a drug network. In 2018, he was once again caught in Mumbai, but within a few months he got bail. After this, he left India and first fled to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and started living there with a fake identity. It is said that he later went to Türkiye and continued operating his gang from there.

Drug network worth Rs 5,000 crore

Salim Dola’s name is considered very big in the international drugs syndicate. According to the investigating agencies, he was supplying synthetic drugs to many countries including India. His network used to do illegal business worth about Rs 5,000 crore every year. The special thing is that his strings are said to be directly connected to Dawood Ibrahim’s network, from which his reach and power can be estimated.

Reward, Red Corner Notice and continued action

Many cases were already registered against Dola in India. A Red Corner Notice was issued on him and the Narcotics Control Bureau had also announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh on him. Indian agencies were trying to break his network for a long time. His drugs factories and labs have been busted in different parts of the country.

Family and close ones also arrested

The action against Dola was not limited to that only. Last year in October 2025, his close associate Mohammad Salim Sohail Shaikh was brought to India from Dubai. After this, in November 2025, four members of his family including his son Tahir Dola were also arrested. After being brought to India, many big revelations are expected to be made through the interrogation of Salim Dola. The investigating agencies are trying to find out in which countries his network was spread and who were his contacts in India.