Mumbai police’s cross-border investigation leads to back-to-back deportations of key accused as India-UAE cooperation strengthens
The Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch announced on Thursday that Mohammad Sohail Shaikh, 31, a key member of an international drug network, has been deported from Dubai to Mumbai and taken into custody. Shaikh is the third accused to be deported from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the past four months, following the return of two others — Taher Dola and Mustafa Kubbawala — from Abu Dhabi in June and July, respectively, reported indianexpress.com.
The rare sequence of three rapid deportations marks a new level of cooperation between Indian and UAE authorities in tackling cross-border narcotics crime.
According to officials, another deportation in the same case is currently in process. While the UAE has previously deported or extradited 19 individuals between 2002 and 2018 — mostly linked to terror cases such as the 1993 Mumbai blasts — it is unusual for multiple accused in a single drug case to be returned in such quick succession.
“There are two key factors behind this success,” an officer said. “First, the growing diplomatic ties between India and the UAE, and second, the UAE’s stringent laws against narcotics.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent engagements with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and senior UAE leaders have strengthened bilateral trust, creating a smoother framework for cooperation.
The Mumbai Police built a watertight case with strong evidence and Arabic-translated charge sheets, helping UAE authorities take swift action against the accused
The officer explained that detailed charge sheets containing evidence and the accused’s locations in the UAE were shared with Emirati officials. “Once the authorities there verified our evidence, they arrested the accused and assured us of early deportation,” he said.
This operation stems from a January 2024 arrest of a woman found with just 641 grams of mephedrone. The seemingly minor case expanded into a massive investigation under directives from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to trace both forward and backward links in drug trafficking networks.
The probe led to 12 arrests, the discovery of a mephedrone manufacturing factory in Sangli, and the seizure of drugs worth ₹252 crore. Investigators identified underworld operative Salim Dola — linked to Dawood Ibrahim’s network — as the key mastermind. His son Taher, nephew Mustafa Kubbawala, and aide Sohail Shaikh were also named as co-accused.
The deportations have delivered a major blow to the Dola syndicate, signalling that Indian fugitives running drug networks from abroad are no longer beyond reach.
While Salim Dola reportedly fled from the UAE to Turkey, Mumbai Police officials said the coordinated arrests and deportations have weakened his criminal operations. “This case proves that those who escape India cannot continue illegal activities from foreign soil without consequences,” an officer added.
