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Mumbai-based Mohammad Sohail Shaikh, alias “Lavish”, the key lieutenant of drug lord Salim Dola, has been deported from Dubai and is now in custody of the Mumbai Police for his role in overseeing mephedrone manufacturing and distribution across multiple Indian states
Who is “Lavish”?
Mumbai’s criminal justice agencies have identified Mohammad Sohail Shaikh — better known by the alias “Lavish” — as a key lieutenant in a sprawling synthetic-drug manufacturing and distribution network run by the trafficker Salim Dola.
Operating out of Dubai for the past two years, Shaikh was acting as Dola’s right-hand man: overseeing production of the stimulant drug mephedrone in at least seven Indian states, supplying raw chemicals and finished product to regional networks.
The Network and Its Reach
- According to the Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch, the network led by Salim Dola is allegedly behind coordinated manufacturing of mephedrone (also called “MD” or “meow-meow”) in clandestine labs across Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and elsewhere.
- Dola has long been a wanted man, believed to have links with larger organised crime outfits (including the iconic Dawood Ibrahim-led networks).
- Shaikh, earlier resident of Dongri in Mumbai, reportedly fled to Dubai around 2023 after a factory in Sangli was raided and his involvement came under scrutiny.
- In his Dubai phase, Shaikh is said to have coordinated with cells in India — arranging chemicals, supervising production, and organising distribution logistics. “His job was… to provide drug networks in these states with chemicals needed for the production of mephedrone and to supply the final product to peddlers.”
The Trigger: The Sangli Factory and 252-Crore Seizure
The case took shape when the Mumbai Police traced a woman in possession of 641 g of mephedrone on 16 February 2024 — which eventually led to the discovery of a manufacturing facility in Irali village in Sangli district.
- A factory raid uncovered 122 kg of mephedrone and raw materials/chemicals for the production of the drug.
- The value of the seized mephedrone is estimated at ₹252 crore (some reports suggest ₹256 crore) in the Indian context.
- A total of around 12 to 15 people have been arrested so far in connection with this network; however, the key accused — Dola, Shaikh (“Lavish”), Dola’s son and nephew — had until recently remained at large.
How “Lavish” Got Caught
- Shaikh had reportedly been based in Dubai for about two years, after escaping India when the Sangli factory and related investigations deepened.
- The Mumbai Crime Branch, through coordination with national agencies like Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)-Abu Dhabi and Interpol, initiated legal and diplomatic steps to locate, detain and secure his extradition/deportation.
- On Wednesday (date unspecified in reports), after cooperation with UAE authorities, “Lavish” was deported from Dubai to India, arriving in Mumbai and remanded in custody until 30 October.
Why This Matters
- International Reach of Drug Networks: The case underscores how Indian drug syndicates now operate transnationally — setting up manufacturing abroad or overseas coordination hubs (Dubai/UAE) while producing drugs in India and distributing across multiple states.
- Synthetic Drugs and Their Threat: Mephedrone is a synthetic stimulant gaining potency, availability and danger. Addressing its manufacture and distribution is complex because it involves precursor chemicals, clandestine labs, international supply chains.
- Criminal-Justice Cooperation: The successful deportation reflects increased coordination between Indian law enforcement, foreign jurisdictions (UAE), and international agencies (Interpol) — a critical element in fighting cross-border crime.
- Message to Traffickers: With the net tightening around Dola’s network — including the arrest of his son, nephew and now his lieutenant — law-enforcement is signalling that fugitive operatives cannot hide forever abroad.
The Personal Profile: “Lavish” Lifestyle, Rise within the Racket
While few personal details are publicly confirmed, the following aspects emerge from investigative reports:
- Shaikh earned the alias “Lavish” reportedly because of his flashy lifestyle: luxury cars, branded clothes, expensive watches — financed by his participation in the narcotics trade.
- His origins trace to Dongri, Mumbai, where he is said to have worked in the catering business with Dola before entering the drug trade and climbing the ranks.
- His role evolved from small-time worker to second-in-command: from domestic operations in Mumbai to coordinating multi-state manufacturing and overseas dispatch from Dubai.
The Legal & Investigative Angle
- The case has drawn attention to whether the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) might be invoked, given the organised, interstate nature of the narcotics network.
- Property and assets of accused persons in the network are under scrutiny — movable/immovable assets worth crores have been attached, vehicles seized, bank accounts frozen.
- The Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch Unit VII, under senior officers, is leading the investigative front and expects Shaikh’s custodial interrogation to yield leads to other network members, including Dola himself (believed to be in Turkey).
Broader Impacts: What This Means for Society & Policy
- Drug Availability & Youth Risks: With synthetic drugs like mephedrone more accessible, especially in party circuits, colleges and urban youth are at heightened risk — the bust should act as a deterrent but also signal need for awareness.
- State-level Manufacturing: Maharashtra (Sangli district) has been a node of manufacturing; labs like the one raided show the industrial scale of production. This demands state & central agencies to monitor chemical precursors, factories, transport.
- Cross-Border Focus: Dubai (UAE) features repeatedly as a haven or coordination hub. Strengthened extradition, monitoring of Indian nationals abroad, mutual legal assistance will become ever more vital.
- Asset Recovery & Money-Laundering: Drug trafficking is often accompanied by hawala, shell companies, money laundering abroad. The case spotlights the need to trace criminal proceeds, freeze assets and repatriate funds.
- Operational Lessons for Police: Intelligence-driven investigations (starting from small seizure trigger in Mumbai, to field camp in Sangli, to overseas coordination) show a layered, patient approach by law-enforcement. Other states might replicate similar models.
What Happens Next?
- The Mumbai Crime Branch will interrogate Shaikh (“Lavish”) in custody; his disclosures may lead to arrests of further operatives at manufacturing, distribution, logistics levels.
- Agencies will work to trace and seize his assets, freeze funding chains, track precursor chemical supply networks.
- Targets now likely include Salim Dola himself (believed to be in Turkey) and any international financiers behind the syndicate.
- Policy-makers may review or tighten regulations around precursor chemical import/export, inter-state coordination and extradition frameworks.
- Public awareness campaigns may gain impetus in Maharashtra and Gujarat, especially in localities previously shielded by the network’s operations.
Local & Community Implications
For Mumbai and regions like Dongri, Sangli, Surat and Gujarat where the network had influence:
- Communities may feel some relief that a high-value offender has been brought to justice, but also concern over whether residual network members remain.
- Local law-enforcement may intensify surveillance of night-clubs, hostels, party venues, courier networks and chemical supply chains.
- Educators and youth organisations might use this case to illustrate the dangers of synthetic-drug distribution networks — how youth can be drawn as dealers, transporters or facilitators unwittingly.
- Property markets and urban developments in zones under criminal influence may see greater scrutiny; assets formerly cloaked under legitimate fronts might now be identified.
Final Word
The arrest and deportation of Mohammad Sohail Shaikh alias “Lavish” marks a major win for India’s efforts against synthetic-drug manufacturing and internationalised trafficking networks. But it is only part of a much larger battle. While an important leg of the empire led by Salim Dola has been knocked out, the networks still operate in the shadows. The key will be to follow the money, dismantle the labs, clamp down on supply chains, and stay ahead of evolving criminal patterns.
In short, this is not just one man’s story — it is a window into how organised narcotics crime has evolved in India, how law-enforcement is adapting, and how societies must respond both in enforcement and education.
