In a major development in Mumbai’s ongoing battle against drug trafficking, the Mumbai Police have issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Salim Dola, a close associate of notorious fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar. Dola’s name surfaced during the investigation into a Rs253-crore drug bust at a factory in Sangli, Maharashtra, earlier this year.
Dola, known to be a trusted aide of Dawood Ibrahim and his right-hand man Chhota Shakeel, has long been linked with the notorious D-Company. His involvement in this drug syndicate highlights the continued operation of the D-Company in the global narcotics trade.
In March, Mumbai Police uncovered a significant drug manufacturing operation in Sangli, where they seized over 122 kg of high-quality Mephedrone (MD), along with gold and cash valued at Rs253 crore. The police had arrested 11 individuals in connection with the bust. The factory, which had been running for over seven months, was equipped with industrial-grade tools like dryers, heaters, and chemical processing equipment.
The police investigation revealed that the factory was set up by Pravin alias Nagesh Ramchandra Shinde (34), who had undergone training in Varanasi to produce MD. During a prison sentence in 2016, Shinde reportedly made contacts with Salim Dola, who assisted in the setup and operation of the factory.
Salim Dola’s connection to the syndicate and his proximity to Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel further solidified the belief that the D-Company continues to play a prominent role in drug trafficking in India. The police allege that Dola, operating from Turkey since 2018, was the mastermind behind the illegal activities at the Sangli factory.
Dola is suspected of training and mentoring the factory operators, including Shinde, and managing the drug supply chain. Payments for the drug deals were reportedly routed through hawala networks to avoid detection.
This is not the first time Salim Dola has been linked to criminal activities. He has been previously arrested by the Mumbai Anti-Narcotics Cell and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). His criminal history includes involvement in the seizure of fentanyl worth Rs1,000 crore and gutka smuggling worth Rs5.5 crore from Pipavav port.
