The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at around 20 locations across Maharashtra and Gujarat as part of a money laundering investigation linked to alleged Dawood Ibrahim associate and drug trafficker Mohammad Salim Dola, who was extradited from Turkiye earlier this year.
According to officials, raids were carried out in Mumbai as well as Surat, Rajkot and Ankleshwar in Gujarat after the central agency registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Dola, also known as Salim Ismail Dola, is accused of being a close associate of global wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and of operating a transnational drug trafficking syndicate. The 59-year-old was detained in Turkiye on the basis of an Interpol Red Notice issued at India's request in March 2024.
He was brought back to India in April and was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) upon his arrival at Delhi airport.
ED officials said the searches targeted premises linked to suppliers of precursor chemicals, chemical traders, accountants, drug traffickers involved in the manufacture and distribution of the synthetic narcotic Mephedrone (MD), hawala operators, and individuals holding benami properties allegedly acquired using proceeds from the drug syndicate.
The money laundering case is based on multiple FIRs registered in Mumbai against Dola and his associates for offences related to the illegal trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
The NCB has alleged that Dola built an extensive drug network over the last two decades across the Middle East, Africa and Europe. He was wanted by several Indian agencies, including the NCB, Maharashtra Police, Gujarat ATS and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
His extradition and arrest were announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on X on April 28. Shah had reiterated the Modi government's "firm resolve" to bring all narcotics fugitives and members of organised crime syndicates to justice, by pursuing them relentlessly across the globe as part of the 'Operation Global Hunt' launched by Indian agencies.
At the time, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Dola's two-decade-long criminal antecedents include "direct involvement" in cases involving multiple high-value seizures of heroin, charas, mephedrone, mandrax and methamphetamine in Maharashtra and Gujarat.
Officials familiar with the investigation had earlier told PTI that international drug trafficking operatives referred to Dola as the 'Mephedrone King' because of his alleged expertise in trafficking the synthetic drug.
Investigators also claimed that Dola used aliases such as 'Hamza' and 'Abdul' while in Turkiye and was planning to acquire immovable assets there in an attempt to obtain citizenship.
Mephedrone, also known as 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC) or 4-methylephedrone, is a synthetic stimulant drug commonly referred to by slang names such as drone, M-CAT, white magic, 'meow meow' and bubble.
In a related development, Dola's son, Tahil Salim Dola, and several associates were arrested by Mumbai Police in 2025 following their deportation or extradition from the UAE.
