The arrest and extradition of Salim Dola has dealt one of the heaviest blows in recent years to the Dawood Ibrahim–Haji Salim narcotics cartel, triggering a visible pullback in smuggling volumes, a deliberate shift in landing points, and a return to older, lower-profile techniques across South India's coastline, according to multiple intelligence officials.

How the Cartel Has Gone Low-Key

According to an official familiar with the matter, Haji Salim — who oversees South India operations for the syndicate — has been actively re-strategising since Dola's arrest. 'He and his men are no longer operating with the audacity that they used to. They are aware that the agencies are on their trail and hence they have deliberately kept the operations low-key,' the official said.

The most telling indicator of this retreat is the dramatic reduction in consignment sizes. At their peak, networks under Haji Salim would move consignments in the range of 2,000 to 5,000 kg. According to an Intelligence Bureau official, quantities have been 'deliberately reduced to avoid scrutiny,' with drugs now arriving in smaller, fragmented batches. Landing points have also shifted to confound surveillance.

Coastal Tamil Nadu and Kerala Now Preferred Routes

Intelligence officials say the cartel has reverted to exploiting complex coastal terrain in Tamil Nadu. Areas such as Vedaranyam and Nagapattinam are now relied upon heavily, with small boats blending into local maritime traffic to avoid detection. Rameswaram, the Palk Strait, and the Thoothukudi outer coast have also emerged as favoured corridors, partly because the cartel can exploit local fishing networks.

In Kerala, the earlier preferred entry point — the Vizhinjam outer sea coastline near Thiruvananthapuram — has been largely abandoned following several large-haul interceptions by agencies. Operations have now shifted to Kochi rural waters, coastal Kasargod, and Malappuram in northern Kerala, where surveillance levels are reportedly lower. Officials note that narcotics routed through these areas are primarily destined for consumption in Kerala, Goa, and Karnataka.

The Syndicate's Disrupted Supply Chain

The cartel's logistics chain has historically run from Iran through Afghanistan and Malaysia, before shipments arrived in Sri Lanka and were then distributed into India, the Maldives, and Mauritius. Officials indicate that instability in Iran has compounded the disruption caused by Dola's arrest, further squeezing the network's operational capacity. Just two years ago, Haji Salim was described as a dominant player across South India, Mauritius, Maldives, and Sri Lanka — a reach that has now visibly contracted.

Agencies Remain on Alert

Despite the setbacks to the cartel, officials caution against complacency. 'These cartels may be down, but not out. They would do everything to save their trade, from finding newer routes to coastal areas in South India that have low surveillance,' one official said. Authorities continue to monitor shifting landing patterns, with particular attention to stretches of coastline that have historically received lower enforcement resources.

The Centre's broader anti-narcotics drive, framed as a mission to make India drug-free, has notched multiple successful interceptions in recent months — but the cartel's adaptive tactics signal that the pressure campaign remains an ongoing contest rather than a concluded victory.