Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Oct 23: In a major breakthrough in the fight against the Dawood Ibrahim-linked drug syndicate, the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested Dubai-based handler Mohammed Salim Sheikh, a key figure in the Salim Dola mephedrone trafficking case, officials confirmed on Thursday.
Sheikh, described as a close associate of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and an overseas coordinator of the drug racket, was deported from the UAE after a Red Corner Notice was issued against him. Following his arrival in India, he was formally arrested on October 22 and remanded to police custody until October 30.
Investigators say Sheikh oversaw the international supply chain for a large-scale mephedrone production network in Sangli, Maharashtra. The operation allegedly relied on chemicals imported through a UAE-based supplier, which were then processed into the synthetic drug at a local manufacturing unit.
The case first came to light in February 2024, when police arrested Parveen Sheikh from Mumbai’s Kurla area with 641 grams of mephedrone worth Rs 12.20 lac and Rs 12 lac in cash. During questioning, Parveen revealed her links to the Dubai-based cartel run by Salim Sheikh and Salim Dola, connecting investigators to the broader international network.
Subsequent raids led to the arrest of Sajid Mohammed Asif Shaikh alias Dabz, a Mira Road resident, from whom police recovered 3 kg of mephedrone worth Rs 6 crore and additional cash. Acting on this intelligence, the Crime Branch traced the source to a massive mephedrone manufacturing facility in Sangli.
In a March 25, 2024 raid, officers seized 122.5 kg of mephedrone valued at Rs 245 crore, along with raw materials, machinery, and vehicles. Six suspects were arrested on the spot. Police later uncovered that the operation had ties to chemical suppliers in Dubai, with networks extending to Surat and Sangli.
So far, 15 people, including a woman, have been arrested in connection with the case. Authorities have seized contraband and assets worth Rs 256.49 crore, including 126 kg of mephedrone (Rs 252 crore), Rs 4.19 crore in cash, gold worth Rs 1.5 lac, vehicles worth Rs 11.4 lac, and illegal property valued at Rs 55.5 lac.
Officials described Sheikh’s arrest as a significant step toward dismantling one of Maharashtra’s largest transnational drug operations with direct links to Dawood Ibrahim’s underworld network.