Mohammad Salim Dola, 59, an alleged drug kingpin and close aide of fugitive don Dawood Ibrahim, was deported to India early Tuesday from Turkey and handed over to the Indian agencies, sources in the security establishment said.

Acting on inputs from Indian agencies, Dola, allegedly a key mephedrone producer across India, was detained by the Turkish intelligence agency on Saturday. He landed at Delhi airport and was taken into custody by the Narcotics Control Bureau.

In a post on X, home minister Amit Shah said: "The NCB today made a major breakthrough in securing the return of notorious drug trafficker Mohammad Salim Dola from Turkiye. Under Modi govt's mission to ruthlessly smash drug cartels, our anti-narcotics agencies have extended their claws across borders through a robust network of global agencies. Now, no matter where they hide, no place is safe for drug kingpins."

Interpol had issued a Red Corner Notice against Dola on the CBI’s request as he was wanted by the Mumbai police and the NCB. "Dola runs Dawood’s drug network and has been active since the 1980s. He was living in Beylikduzu under a false identity. He hailed from Mumbai’s Dongri and has been linked to many drug busts. He had been arrested earlier by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Mumbai police, and the NCB before he jumped bail and fled the country sometime in 2018," said an NCB official.