Dawood Ibrahim's aide Salim Dola detained by Turkish police in Istanbul

Salim Dola, an alleged drug kingpin and aide of fugitive gangster-terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, has reportedly been detained in Turkey's Istanbul. He was caught by Turkish intelligence and police authorities, local media reports said.

Salim was the subject of a Red Corner Notice issued by the Interpol on the basis of a request moved by India's Central Investigation Bureau (CBI) over cases filed by Mumbai Police.

He has allegedly been involved in running a transnational synthetic drug trafficking network using multiple clandestine laboratories and factories spread across India.

'BIG BLOW TO DRUG SMUGGLING'

Though Indian agencies have denied being aware of Salim's purported detention in Turkey, an official said it would be a big blow to the wanted kingpin's drug trafficking ring if the reports were true.

"If Dola has been detained, then it's great news, and a big blow to his trafficking network," said a senior officer from Mumbai police, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Sources have told India Today that Salim's drug cartel was operating a drug smuggling network to the tune of more than Rs 5,000 crore a year, with no estimates available about the transnational syndicate's revenues.

Last year, Salim's son, Taher Dola, was detained in the UAE in an operation involving local authorities and Interpol. The younger Dola was successfully extradited to India in June 2025.

Months later, Salim Mohammed Sohail Shaikh, a key associate of Salim's, was deported from Dubai and arrested by the Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Cell in connection with multiple cases.

Salim and his aides have multiple cases of drug smuggling, manufacturing, and other offences registered against them in India. They also face money-laundering cases being probed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

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