Mumbai, Oct 30 : In a major development, intelligence agencies have warned that the Dawood Ibrahim led D-Syndicate is actively exploring new narcotics routes through southern and northeastern India following intensified crackdowns by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) across Maharashtra and Gujarat.
The arrests of key operatives Danish Chikna and Mohammed Salim Sheikh have severely disrupted the syndicate’s established supply chains, forcing the network to seek fresh trafficking corridors, officials revealed.
Shift to new routes
Sources said the D-Syndicate, which has long operated out of Maharashtra—the command hub of its Indian operations is now eyeing expansion through the northeast and southern states, where surveillance is comparatively lower.
Operations in these regions are reportedly being overseen by Haji Salim, a close Dawood associate and ISI handler, who has taken on a more prominent role since Dawood’s aide Chhota Shakeel went silent. Meanwhile, Dawood’s brother Anees Ibrahim continues to manage the syndicate’s international operations, largely focused on Africa.
Strategic expansion
According to intelligence inputs, the syndicate views the northeast as a high-potential market due to its proximity to existing smuggling routes from Myanmar, while Bangladesh’s increased collaboration with ISI provides an additional advantage.
In the southern corridor, Dawood’s network is leveraging established maritime routes through Sri Lanka, bringing narcotics into Kerala and Tamil Nadu before trafficking them to domestic and international markets, including Thailand.
India remains key market
Despite its stronghold in international drug trade, the D-Syndicate is unwilling to relinquish the Indian market due to its massive demand. With security tightening along Punjab’s border—where drones and couriers are increasingly intercepted—the network is turning to southern entry points to move large consignments by land, where checks are less stringent.
Local networks and risks
Intelligence officials also cautioned that the syndicate is recruiting illegal immigrants in South India as potential drug carriers to distribute narcotics deeper into the Indian mainland.
Authorities are now focusing on dismantling these new emerging networks before they gain a strong foothold, stressing that sustained pressure on the syndicate’s traditional bastions in Maharashtra and Gujarat remains critical to weaken its national operations.