Dawood Ibrahim: Verified Facts and Official Sources

When you’re trying to separate fact from fiction about one of the world’s most wanted fugitives, the official record is surprisingly thin in some places and remarkably precise in others—Dawood Ibrahim has been on the run since 1993, but his name appears on multiple government sanctions lists with exact dates and dozens of aliases. This article walks through what is definitively known from official sources and what remains unconfirmed.

Listed as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the US since: 2003 ·
Bounty offered by India: $25 million ·
Head of criminal syndicate: D-Company ·
UN Security Council sanction listing: Yes, since 2009

The official dossiers on Dawood Ibrahim show a pattern: precise designations, multiple aliases, and locations that overlap across government files.

What is the latest verified information about Dawood Ibrahim?

Official updates come from three tracks: the UN Security Council sanctions committee, Indian intelligence statements, and periodic media reports that cite government sources. No confirmed arrest or death has been recorded as of 2025.

Official updates from UN sanctions committee

• The UN maintains Dawood Ibrahim on the ISIL and Al-Qaida sanctions list under resolution 1267 (NDTV (Indian news outlet)).

Recent statements by Indian authorities

• Indian intelligence agencies reportedly believe he operates from the UAE and Pakistan (OFAC associated locations (U.S. enforcement arm)).

Media reports from credible outlets

• Pakistan’s 2020 sanctions actions included Dawood Ibrahim’s name in a list of 88 banned terror groups and their leaders (The Economic Times (financial daily)).
• The UK Treasury sanctions list updated in August 2017 included Dawood Ibrahim with 21 aliases and three Pakistan addresses (The Times of India (national daily)).

The pattern: international sanctions are regularly updated, but India’s National Investigation Agency has not announced a breakthrough on his location.

What should readers know first about Dawood Ibrahim?

Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar was born on 27 December 1955 in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. He founded D-Company, a criminal syndicate involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and terrorism.

Overview of his criminal career

• He rose to prominence in Mumbai’s underworld during the 1980s, building a network that spanned India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
• India charges he was the mastermind behind the 1993 Mumbai bombings that killed 257 people (The Economic Times (financial daily)).

Leadership of D-Company

• D-Company operates as a decentralized network engaged in narcotics, weapons, and money laundering (OFAC designations (U.S. enforcement arm)).

Global designation as a terrorist

• The U.S. Treasury designated him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on 16 October 2003 (U.S. Treasury (federal sanctions authority)).
• The UN Security Council listed him in 2009 under the ISIL and Al-Qaida sanctions regime (NDTV (Indian news outlet)).

The implication: Dawood Ibrahim is not just a fugitive; he is one of the few individuals subject to overlapping sanctions from the UN, US, UK, and India—an international legal net that has not yet resulted in his capture.

Which official sources confirm key claims about Dawood Ibrahim?

Three primary sources anchor the verified record: the United Nations Security Council, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Indian government’s chargesheets.

United Nations Security Council resolutions

• UN Security Council resolution 1267 includes Dawood Ibrahim as an individual associated with Al-Qaida (NDTV (Indian news outlet)).

US Department of Treasury designations

• The Treasury designated him under Executive Order 13224 as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on 16 October 2003 (U.S. Treasury (federal sanctions authority)).
• The OFAC sanctions entry tags him with program codes SDNTK and SDGT (OFAC record (U.S. enforcement arm)).

Indian government chargesheets

• India’s National Investigation Agency issued a chargesheet for his role in the 1993 Mumbai bombings (The Economic Times (financial daily)).

Interpol notices

• Interpol has issued a Red Notice against him, though the exact issuance date is not in public OFAC records.

What this means: anyone can verify the US Treasury and UN listings online today. The Indian chargesheet is a matter of public record. These are not rumors—they are legally binding documents.

What is still unclear or unverified about Dawood Ibrahim?

Despite the thick paper trail, major gaps remain.

Exact current location

• No independent verification of his current whereabouts exists. OFAC lists Pakistan and Dubai as associated locations (OFAC record (U.S. enforcement arm)), but that is associative, not a witness statement.

Active role in D-Company operations

• It is unclear whether Ibrahim still directs day-to-day operations or has delegated authority to lieutenants.

Net worth and financial control

• No official estimate of his net worth has been confirmed. Claims of billions are speculative.

Connection to other terrorist groups

• While the UN listing ties him to Al-Qaida, the exact nature of that relationship is not detailed in public sanctions documents.

The trade-off: the official record is strong on names, dates, and legal actions, but weak on operational details—exactly what investigators would need to make an arrest.

What are the most common user questions on Dawood Ibrahim?

These questions come from search data and reflect what people actually want to know.

Is Dawood Ibrahim still alive?

• No official confirmation of his death has been published. Sanctions lists remain active (OFAC active status (U.S. enforcement arm)).

How did he become a fugitive?

• He fled India after the 1993 Mumbai bombings, according to Indian government chargesheets.

What is D-Company today?

• D-Company reportedly remains active in smuggling and extortion, though its structure may have fragmented (The Times of India (national daily)).

Why this matters: the persistence of these basic questions shows how little verified information makes it to the public.

Timeline signal

• 1993: Involvement in Mumbai bombings; fled India (The Economic Times (financial daily))
• 2003: Designated by US as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (U.S. Treasury (federal sanctions authority))
• 2009: Listed by UN Security Council under ISIL and Al-Qaida sanctions (NDTV (Indian news outlet))
• 2011: India announces $25 million reward for information
• 2025: Still at large; latest official statements indicate presence in UAE/Pakistan

The trajectory shows a tightening of international sanctions over three decades, but no corresponding movement on arrest.

Clarity: confirmed facts vs. what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

• Dawood Ibrahim is an Indian gangster and narcoterrorist (OFAC nationality (U.S. enforcement arm))
• He leads D-Company
• He is on the UN sanctions list since 2009
• The US has designated him a global terrorist since 2003
• India has issued a chargesheet for his role in the 1993 bombings

What’s unclear

• Exact current location (Pakistan or UAE not independently confirmed)
• Current health and level of control over D-Company
• Net worth and financial holdings
• Direct involvement in recent terrorist activities
• Actual role in 1993 Mumbai bombings (alleged but not proven in a trial)

“Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is subject to assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo under UN Security Council resolutions.”

— UN Security Council ISIL and Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee (official summary)

“Indian intelligence agencies believe he is operating from UAE and Pakistan.”

— Anonymous Indian intelligence official (statements to media)

“The Treasury designated Dawood Ibrahim as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for his role in supporting terrorism.”

— U.S. Department of the Treasury (press release, 16 October 2003)

For India, the choice is clear: keep pressing multilateral sanctions enforcement, or accept that one of its most wanted fugitives will remain beyond reach without direct cooperation from Pakistan. The $25 million reward remains unclaimed, and the UN sanctions list stays open.

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