D-Company’s Expanding Drug Trade Shocks Agencies; Modern Factory Busted In Madhya Pradesh

The anti-national gang operating from abroad is not only challenging India through weapons and terrorism but also increasingly expanding its narcotics trade.

Their brazen operations, allegedly supported by local administration and investigative agencies, have deeply concerned intelligence agencies.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recently conducted ‘Operation Crystal Break’ in Jagdishpura, the outskirts of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

During the raid, authorities seized 61.20 kilograms of liquid methadone and approximately 550 kilograms of raw material valued at ₹92 crore.

The factory was reportedly operational for a significant period, raising serious questions about the role of local police and agencies.

Direct Link to D-Company

Investigations revealed the illicit operation is directly linked to fugitive Dawood Ibrahim, hiding in Pakistan. His trusted aide, Salim ‘Dola’ Ismail, currently operating from Turkey, manages the entire network spanning Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.

Mustafa Kubbawala, Dawood’s nephew and subject of an Interpol red corner notice, serves as a key collaborator.

Intelligence agencies believe Dawood, Salim ‘Dola’, and Umair-ur-Rahman jointly finance methadone production and trafficking from Pakistan and Dubai.

The drug, locally known as ‘Myau-Myau’, has been rapidly spreading across regions.

Key Arrests and Factory Setup

Seven suspects were arrested during the raid, including Abdul Faizal Qureshi, a pharmacy diploma holder, and his aide, Razzak Khan from Vidisha, who ran the factory.

The facility was highly advanced, featuring machines, reactors, and temperature-controlled chambers. Cartel members from Uttar Pradesh’s Basti district, arrested in Mumbai, supplied raw materials.

Following their leads, two suppliers and a transporter were apprehended in Mumbai, alongside a hawala operator in Surat managing funds.

Initial investigations revealed funds were transferred from Surat and Mumbai to Bhopal via hawala channels to keep the factory operational.

Another close associate was arrested in Surat. This marks the sixth methadone factory dismantled by DRI in the past year and the second seizure near Bhopal in ten months.

In October 2024, authorities seized 907 kilograms of methadone worth approximately ₹1,814 crore from Bairgoda Industrial Area near Bhopal.

Chemicals essential for production—methylene dichloride, acetone, monomethylamine, hydrochloric acid, and 2-bromo—were sourced from Bhiwandi and Thane in Maharashtra.

These were transported to Bhopal via mini trucks under Salim Dola’s orders. During questioning, suspects admitted that nearly 400 kilograms of chemicals had already been sent from Mumbai to Bhopal.

The mastermind had also recruited local collaborators, assigning Azharuddin Idrisi to transport consignments from Anjur Phata, Bhiwandi, to deeper areas of Madhya Pradesh.

Suspicions Surrounding Local Administration

Investigators suspect the operation could not have functioned for so long without bribery and collusion. It is unlikely such a high-profile drug lab remained hidden without protection from local agencies and corruption.

Probes are ongoing into how officials initially denying power connections suddenly granted approvals in record time.

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