Dola's arrest reflects strength of India-Turkiye partnership on terror & transnational criminal networks

India and Turkiye continue to cooperate on security matters with Ankara’s long standing support for India on matters related to counter terrorism and transnational criminal networks.

The cooperation remains robust, is expanding despite the fact that Turkiye also enjoys political closeness with certain countries working against India’s interest.

The recent example is the case of swift deportation of Salim Ismailbhai Dola, who was deported to India on April 28 with active support of the Turkish government, according to sources.


Also read: Salim Dola deportation signals thaw in ties with Turkey

Dola a resident of Mumbai, Maharashtra was an absconding accused, involved in several cases of narco trafficking registered by Central agencies in India.

Dola had fled India in 2020 to Dubai from where had then relocated to Turkiye in 2024. Dola was an accomplice of Iqbal Mirchi, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim.

Dola was a prime accused in Rs. 1000 crore worth Fentanyl drug seizure in Mumbai (2018), which was meant to be trafficked to Mexico, sources recalled.

He has been arrested on several occasions but he had managed to obtain acquittal in these cases. After 2020, he had shifted the base of his operations to Dubai from where he had utilized the services of his immediate family members to run the narco trafficking syndicate, sources informed.

A Red Corner Notice (RN) was issued against Dola by India. In 2024, agencies in Ankara had requested the government of India to send extradition documents of the RCN subject via diplomatic and Interpol channels.

Dola arrived in Istanbul in early 2024 and had been trying to obtain a Turkish passport through Citizenship by Investment Programme. However, after issuance of the RCN and information shared by India, Turkish authorities scuttled his efforts in acquiring Turkish citizenship and resulting in his swift deportation, sources informed.

59-year-old Dola was apprehended during a joint operation conducted by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) and police units of Turkey.

In the past, many individuals linked to ISIS were deported with active assistance from Turkish authorities including Indian national, Mishaal Kunhimon who was deported in January 2019 to India and was part of the Indian Mujahideen (IM) terror module.