Salim Dola, an alleged mastermind behind one of India's largest synthetic drug cartels, was detained in Istanbul, Turkey, by local police and the Turkish national intelligence organization, MIT. This operation was initiated following a red corner notice issued by Interpol at the request of India's Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Dola, who holds a United Arab Emirates (UAE) passport, had fled to the UAE after being granted bail in a drug case in 2018. Investigators believe he later relocated to Turkey. Dola's criminal history includes multiple arrests for drug possession and smuggling. The Mumbai police crime branch's investigation began with the arrest of a drug peddler in February 2024, leading to the discovery of a drug manufacturing facility in Sangli district, Maharashtra, where authorities seized 122 kilos of mephedrone, cash, and gold worth ₹253 crore (approximately $30 million USD). Dola's family members have also been implicated in the cartel's operations, with his son and nephew previously extradited from Dubai.