NCB’s blow to narco-syndicate, secures extradition of kingpin Salim Dola

Advancing the fight against drug syndicates and bringing the kingpins to justice, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in a major breakthrough, has secured the extradition of one of the major drug traffickers, Mohammad Salim Dola, from Turkiye.

In coordination with the Indian and the international intel agencies, the NCB has secured Dola’s return which was possible under the ‘Operation Global-Hunt’.

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Dola, who was flown to India this morning through a special plane as part of a coordinated operation by the multiple agencies before being taken into custody on arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Dola, 59 from Mumbai, was a subject of INTERPOL Red Notice issued at India’s request in March, 2024.

According to the agency, he was wanted for prosecution in multiple narcotics trafficking cases in the country and had been at large since a very long period.

Taking to social media platform X, Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday stated, “Zero tolerance against Narco syndicate. The NCB today made a major breakthrough in securing the return of notorious drug trafficker Mohammad Salim Dola from Türkiye.”

He said the nation’s agencies like the NCB are ruthlessly smashing drug cartels, and have extended their reach across borders through global counterparts, leaving no more ground for the traffickers.

Successful extradition of Dola clearly reflects the firm resolve of the Modi government to bring all such narco fugitives and organised crime syndicates members to justice.

Over the years Dola had established a major transnational drug trafficking syndicate extended across various countries including in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. His two-decade long criminal antecedents include direct involvement in cases involving high-value seizures of Heroin, Charas, Mephedrone, Mandrax and Methamphetamine in Maharashtra and Gujarat.

Notably, his role had emerged as that of a bulk supplier to downstream distribution networks in India, while he was also wanted by ATS Gujarat and the Mumbai Police.

Earlier, Dola’s son Tahil Salim Dola and other associates were nabbed by the Mumbai police after they were extradited from the UAE last year. His extradition also exemplifies close cooperation and coordinated action between the authorities in Türkiye, INTERPOL and Indian agencies.

Dola has various cases registered against him under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and several alleged money laundering probes also underway by the agency concerned.