Dawood aide Salim Dola used name 'Hamza' to hide identity in Turkey: Report
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Dawood aide Salim Dola used name 'Hamza' to hide identity in Turkey: Report")
Mohammad Salim Dola, the 59-year-old drug trafficking mastermind Photograph: (ANI,AFP)
Mohammad Salim Dola, an aide of Dawood Ibrahim, was deported from Turkey after his arrest under an Interpol notice. He faces major drug trafficking charges and is in NCB custody.
Mohammad Salim Dola, the 59-year-old drug trafficking mastermind, who has been gangster Dawood Ibrahim's aide used the name ‘Hamza’ to mask his identity while living in Turkey, news agency PTI said in a report on Friday (May 1). The name Hamza appeared on his Bulgarian passport which he used to live in Turkey. It is still under investigation if the Bulgarian passport is valid or not. Dola was detained by the Turkish Intelligence Agency and the Beylikduzu police and was then deported to India on April 28. He has been remanded to the custody of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) till May 8. His arrest in Turkey was made based on an Interpol Red Notice issued on India's request in March 2024.
Who is Salim Dola?
The operation was carried out by intelligence agencies working with international partners, leading to Dola’s capture. He is believed to have played a key role in Dawood Ibrahim’s drug network. Born in 1966 in Mumbai’s Byculla, Dola reportedly entered the underworld early and developed close ties with Chhota Shakeel. He initially engaged in gutkha smuggling across Mumbai and Delhi before moving into narcotics, beginning with marijuana trafficking.
In 2012, he was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau with 80 kg of marijuana. After spending nearly five years in jail, he was acquitted. Following his release, he allegedly connected with fugitive supplier Kailash Rajput and entered the synthetic drug trade. Together, they are believed to have produced a drug called “Button,” reportedly made using opioids like fentanyl and sold in pill form.
In 2018, Mumbai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Cell arrested him in Santacruz, seizing 100 kg of suspected fentanyl. However, he secured bail within four months after forensic tests did not confirm the substance. He later fled India and moved to the United Arab Emirates, where he allegedly set up a real estate business in his son Tahir’s name, reportedly using proceeds from drug operations.
What is the case?
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Mohammad Salim Dola came under the scanner in 2024 after the Mumbai Police Crime Branch seized 4 kg of MD and traced the supply chain from Sangli and Surat to the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, where he was allegedly coordinating operations through associates.
He was arrested on April 25 following a targeted operation by Istanbul Police’s Narcotics Crimes Division. Authorities located him at a residence in the Beylikduzu district after detailed technical and ground surveillance, leading to his capture. He was later deported to India after due procedures.
Investigations in India are ongoing, with arrested aides in Kurla reportedly stating they acted on his instructions. Raids linked to the case led to the seizure of over 126 kg of mephedrone and ₹25.22 lakh in cash.
As per an Interpol Red Notice, Dola faces multiple charges under India’s NDPS Act, which carries stringent penalties. Authorities also noted that earlier deportations of his family members from the UAE had already weakened his network.
