Representative image of a police van
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Mumbai: With four back-to-back deportation from the Gulf, the Mumbai Police has dealt a heavy blow to the mephedrone (MD) supply network of Salim Dola, who is linked to the underworld crime syndicate run by the Dawood Ibrahim gang.
The Mumbai Police coordinated with various Indian agencies and sister agencies in the United Arab Emirates to secure the deportation in an intelligence-based operation and use of diplomatic channels.
Last week, Salman Salim Sheikh alias Shera Batla (35) was deported from Dubai.
Those who were deported earlier are Tahir Salim Dola, Mustafa Mohammed Kubbawala and Mohammed Salim Mohammed Sohail Shaikh alias Lavish.
In fact, Tahir Dola is the son of Salim Dola and Kubbawala his nephew.
All of them were facing the Red Corner Notice of INTERPOL.
The Mumbai Police has been coordinating with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the National Central Bureau (NCB) of Abu Dhabi and Lyon-headquartered INTERPOL, over months to bust the drugs network.
Mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug belonging to the amphetamine and cathinone classes, and popularly known as MD, meow-meow, M-Cat, is often compared to drugs like cocaine and ecstasy.
Salim Dola was a close associate of late Iqbal Mirchi, of the key persons in the syndicate controlled by Dawood Ibrahim. After Mirchi’s death, the Mumbai-born Dola controls the drug network for Dawood.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Mumbai Police have previously registered multiple cases against Dola and his associates under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).
With the crackdown on the syndicate, the Mumbai police dismantled a major drug network with multiple arrests and factory raids.
Their involvement includes plans to establish drug manufacturing facilities nationwide, furthering the distribution of mephedrone.