Salim Dola, an alleged leader of one of India's largest synthetic drug cartels, was arrested in Istanbul, Turkey, following a joint operation by Turkish intelligence and police. Dola, who has links to the infamous gangster Dawood Ibrahim, began his criminal career in Mumbai's Byculla neighborhood in the 1980s selling gutkha before transitioning to marijuana. He was arrested in 2012 for possession of 80 kilograms of marijuana but was acquitted after five years. Dola's criminal activities escalated when he partnered with fugitive drug supplier Kailash Rajput to manufacture 'Button', a synthetic drug made from fentanyl. In 2018, he was arrested with 100 kilograms of fentanyl but was released on bail after the forensic report returned negative results. Subsequently, he fled to the UAE, where he established a real estate business using drug money. Dola acquired a UAE passport under a different name and later moved to Turkey, where he was apprehended. Indian authorities are now working to extradite him through the UAE, as no extradition treaty exists between India and Turkey.