The mafia syndicate led by global fugitive Dawood Ibrahim is attempting a major strategic shift, moving away from its embattled narcotics business to launch a renewed campaign of extortion and high-profile abductions across India.

Intelligence and police officials confirm the move is designed to restore the "fear factor" and rebuild the D-Gang’s waning influence and manpower.

Operating from sanctuary in Pakistan, the syndicate is reportedly in "desperate need of attention" after the combined pressure of Indian law enforcement decimated its drug trade revenues and severely impacted its recruitment efforts.

Decline of drug trafficking

For years, the D-Gang's primary financial engine was the narcotics business. However, an "all-out war against the drug mafia" launched by the Indian government has resulted in scores of major busts, leading to huge financial losses and operational setbacks for the network.

Intelligence Bureau officials note that the syndicate's clout—once pervasive in police, political, and Bollywood circles -- has significantly eroded as the fear surrounding the gang died down. This decline, coupled with the difficulty of recruiting new members to manage the high-risk drug operations, forced the Karachi-based leadership to re-strategize.

New strategy: Fear as currency

The D-Gang's cronies in Pakistan decided to temporarily slow the drug business and pivot to more immediate, fear-generating criminal activities. The core goal is not solely financial, but psychological: to resurrect the underworld’s terror image, similar to its peak in the 1980s, to attract new recruits.

The new strategy involves:

High-Profile Abductions: Targeting wealthy individuals for ransom to generate large, immediate income and public panic.

Extortion Cells: Establishing numerous small, dedicated extortion cells across key states.

The main focus for setting up these new cells is in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh.

Recent incidents confirm syndicate's push

Law enforcement agencies are already tracking the implementation of this renewed aggression, confirming that the new extortion cells are operational.

The Mumbai Crime Branch recently busted an operational extortion cell being run at the behest of Dawood Ibrahim, linked to operatives Sajid Electricwala and Shabbir Siddiqui.

Recent high-profile cases have highlighted the D-Gang’s return to demanding ransom. Cricketer Rinku Singh's team has received regular threats demanding extortion money.

Zeeshan Siddiqui, the son of slain NCP leader Baba Siddiqui, received threats demanding a ₹10 crore ransom. Two accused, Mohammad Dilshad and Mohammed David, were subsequently arrested in Trinidad and Tobago with the help of Interpol, directly linking the incident to the Dawood network.