Ahmedabad, The Gujarat ATS has arrested international drug trafficker Salim Ismail Dola, deported from Turkiye earlier this year, in connection with the seizure of mephedrone valued at ₹ 438.64 crore from a Vadodara factory in 2022, officials said on Tuesday.
In April this year, the Narcotics Control Bureau brought Dola back from Turkiye, where he was arrested on the basis of an Interpol Red Notice issued at India’s request in March 2024. The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad took Dola into custody on October 31, Assistant Commissioner of Police, ATS, SL Chaudhary said. The ATS had raided a drug manufacturing unit near Sindhrot village in Vadodara district on December 1, 2022, and seized 87.728 kg of mephedrone , valued at ₹ 438.64 crore in the international market. A total of 10 accused have been arrested in the case, registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
He was wanted, and a search was launched for him after it came to light that he was operating a drug network from abroad,” Chaudhary said. “During the investigation, the name of Salim Ismail Dola emerged as one of the persons involved in the case. The network allegedly used containers carrying legally exported goods to conceal narcotics and transport them to foreign countries. Dummy companies were also established in destination countries to facilitate the operations, it stated.
The investigation had earlier indicated that mephedrone manufactured at the Vadodara factory was transported to Mumbai and delivered to Dola’s associates, the ATS said. Dola was involved in drug trafficking for Mirchi during the 1990s and later developed an international network with his associates, the ATS said, according to information gathered during the investigation.
