MUMBAI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said that the government is determined to ruthlessly crush narcotics networks, after the Narcotics Control Bureau seized 349 kg of high-grade cocaine worth Rs 1,745 crore in Mumbai, describing it as a major success against an international drug cartel.OnMeanwhile, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), in close coordination with international and Indian intelligence agencies, has secured the return of wanted drug trafficker Mohammed Salim Dola from Turkiye, under ‘Operation Global-Hunt’.He was taken into custody on his arrival at IGI Airport, New Delhi, early this morning by NCB.As per the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), “Salim Dola (59 yrs from Mumbai) a subject of INTERPOL Red Notice issued at India’s request in March, 2024 was wanted for prosecution in multiple narcotics trafficking cases in India and had been absconding from Indian law enforcement agencies. Over the years Dola had established a major transnational drug trafficking syndicate spanning a number of countries in the Middle East, Africa and Europe. His 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.”“Dola’s role consistently emerged as that of a bulk supplier to downstream distribution networks in India. Besides, he is also wanted by ATS Gujarat and the Mumbai Police. Earlier, his son Tahil Salim Dola and other associates were arrested by Mumbai police after deportation/extradition from the UAE in 2025. This effort exemplifies close cooperation and coordinated action between the authorities in Turkiye, INTERPOL and Indian agencies,” said MHA.
