In a major breakthrough in cross-border criminal tracking, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully facilitated the return of wanted criminal Taher Salim Dola from the United Arab Emirates to India through INTERPOL channels.
Dola, wanted by Mumbai Police in connection with a large-scale synthetic drug operation, was brought back to India on June 13. The return was coordinated by the International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) of the CBI in collaboration with the National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abu Dhabi.
The accused landed at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport on Flight AI-984 from Dubai. The operation followed months of persistent geo-location and tracking by Indian authorities, leading to his detention in the UAE.
Dola is accused of operating a synthetic drug manufacturing factory in Sangli, Maharashtra, from abroad. Authorities had seized a massive 126.141 kilograms of Mephedrone (MD), valued at ₹2.522 crore, from the illegal facility. Mumbai Police registered an FIR at Kurla Police Station in connection with the case.
Following a Red Notice request by Mumbai Police, INTERPOL issued the alert on November 25, 2024. The UAE confirmed Dola’s arrest on January 27, 2025. The extradition request was then formally routed through the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of External Affairs.
INTERPOL Red Notices enable law enforcement agencies worldwide to identify and track wanted individuals. As India’s designated National Central Bureau, the CBI collaborates through its BHARATPOL platform to trace and return fugitives. More than 100 such criminals have been brought back to India in recent years under this framework.
