The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at 20 locations across Mumbai, Surat, Ankleshwar, and Rajkot in connection with a transnational narcotics trafficking syndicate allegedly operated by Salim Dola, an alleged close aide of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim. The operation followed Dola’s extradition from Turkey in April.
Focus on Precursor Chemical Suppliers and Hawala Operators
The ED said the searches targeted mainly suppliers of precursor chemicals, hawala operators, chartered accountants, and benami property holders in India and abroad. Most of the chemical factories covered in the ED search were situated in Gujarat.
Sources said that actions against drug syndicates usually end after busting manufacturing factories and acting against those related to them. In the recent searches, the agency focused on chemical factories that provided raw material illegally to the drug manufacturing units. Sources added that this included suppliers of precursor chemicals, intermediaries engaged in chemical trading, traffickers involved in the manufacture and distribution of the synthetic narcotic drug mephedrone (MD), hawala operators, and persons holding benami properties acquired from proceeds generated through the organized drug syndicates.
Money Laundering Investigation Based on Multiple FIRs
The ED is investigating the money laundering case based on multiple FIRs registered across Mumbai against Dola and others for offenses relating to illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. The ED said it found a criminal network engaged in procurement of precursor chemicals, clandestine manufacture of MD, interstate transportation and distribution of narcotic drugs, international trafficking of narcotic substances, collection and layering of proceeds of crime through hawala channels, and acquisition of movable and immovable assets in the names of associates and other persons.
Previous Actions Against Dola and His Associates
Last June, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), through Interpol, deported Dola’s son Tahir from the United Arab Emirates in connection with a case of trafficking 126 kg of narcotics worth Rs 245 crore investigated by Mumbai Police. Dola’s family allegedly operated a synthetic drug manufacturing factory in Sangli district of Maharashtra.
In April, Dola was detained in Istanbul, Turkey, from where he was brought to India and taken into custody by the Narcotics Control Bureau.
Earlier, the ED had acted against Dola’s associates in Mumbai by attaching seven flats and rooms in Mumbai valued at Rs 6 crore linked to Faisal Shaikh and his wife Alfiya. Faisal would allegedly purchase MD through Dola and sell it to various trafficking networks, which in turn used to sell the same to their customers.
