Drug kingpin Salim Dola brought back
In a major anti-narcotics operation, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has brought back Mohammad Salim Dola, a key figure in international drug trafficking, from Turkiye. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the development on Tuesday, describing it as part of the Modi government’s zero-tolerance policy against narco-syndicates.
Dola (59) and the kingpin of notorious D Company’s illicit drug syndicate, was arrested in Istanbul, Turkiye, following an Interpol Red Corner Notice issued at India’s request in March 2024. He was wanted in multiple cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The fugitive was flown back under ‘Operation Global-Hunt’ and taken into NCB custody upon arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, early Tuesday morning.
“Under the Modi government’s mission to ruthlessly smash drug cartels, our anti-narcotics agencies have extended their claws across borders through a robust network of global agencies,” Shah posted on X. “Now, no matter where they hide, no place is safe for drug kingpins,” he added.
The Ministry of Home Affairs stated that the operation reflects the government’s firm resolve, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the guidance of Home Minister Amit Shah, to pursue narcotics fugitives and organised crime syndicates globally.
“The successful return of Salim Dola demonstrates that no criminal is beyond the reach of Indian law enforcement,” the ministry said. This extradition is the latest in a series of cross-border actions by Indian agencies targeting drug lords who had long evaded arrest by operating from safe havens abroad. The NCB and other central agencies continue to strengthen international partnerships to dismantle organised narco-crime networks.
