Mumbai police issue LOC against Dawood gang member Salim Dola

Salim Dola’s name surfaced in the police’s investigation into the drug bust at a Sangli factory in March, where 11 people were arrested and 122 kg of high-quality Mephedrone (MD), cash and gold worth ₹253 crore were seized

MUMBAI: The Mumbai police have issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Salim Dola, an aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar, after his name surfaced in the investigation into the ₹253-crore drug bust at a Sangli factory in March.

Mumbai police issue LOC against Dawood gang member Salim Dola

The police said Dola is believed to be close to Dawood and his right-hand man Chhota Shakeel, and his involvement made it clear that the D-Company is still active in drug trafficking.

The police had arrested 11 people and seized 122 kg of high-quality Mephedrone (MD), cash and gold worth ₹253 crore at a shut factory in Sangli in March. The accused, who had been producing drugs at the factory for seven months, had equipment like dryers, heaters, and various chemicals used for manufacturing MD. The police were led to the factory after interrogating four people who were arrested in February for possessing 4 kg of MD.

The prime accused, Pravin alias Nagesh Ramchandra Shinde, 34, had taken training in Varanasi on how to make MD and then set up the factory, according to the police. During a prison term in 2016, he came in touch with a few people who introduced him to Dola, who is believed to be staying in Turkey.

“Shinde was in touch with Dola and his aide Salem Shaikh via several mobile applications,” said a police officer who requested anonymity. “They gave him the training and helped him set up the business where high-quality MD was manufactured. Later, another team used it to supply the material and take care of its distribution. The payment to Dola was usually made through hawala.” The officer added that an LOC has been issued against Dola’s son Tahir and Shaikh as well.

Dola, a resident of Mumbai, has been arrested previously by the Mumbai police’s anti-narcotics cell and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). He used to work for Dawood aide and drug baron Iqbal Mirchi, who died in 2013. In the past, his name had cropped up when the anti-narcotics cell had seized fentanyl, an opioid, worth ₹1,000 crore. The DRI had arrested him while smuggling gutka worth ₹5.5 crore from Pipavav port in Gujarat.

“We believe he fled the country in 2018 after getting bail in the anti-narcotics cell’s case and is now operating from Turkey,” said the police officer.