For over three decades, the name Dawood Ibrahim has loomed large in the underworld — a figure wanted for everything from drug trafficking to financing terror. Despite a $25 million U.S. reward and a spot on the United Nations sanctions list since 2011, much about his current life and exact whereabouts remains unknown. This article separates verified, official-source facts from the rumors that still surround one of the world’s most wanted men.
Designation by UN: Listed under ISIL (Da’esh) and Al‑Qaida Sanctions Committee since 2011 ·
Criminal Organization: Leader of D‑Company ·
Reported Location: Karachi, Pakistan (per SATP and Indian intelligence) ·
U.S. Reward: Up to $25 million (State Department) ·
Primary Activities: Drug trafficking, extortion, terrorism financing
Quick snapshot
- Dawood Ibrahim is listed on the UN Security Council sanctions list (QDi.135) (United Nations sanctions list – official entry)
- U.S. Treasury designated him a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on October 16, 2003 (U.S. Treasury Department – press release)
- He is the founder and leader of D‑Company (Wikipedia – established editorial overview)
- Exact current location not officially confirmed by Pakistan government
- Full extent of his present-day criminal network is unknown
- Direct role in specific terrorist attacks remains disputed
- 1955: Born in Ratnagiri, India
- 1980s: Rose to power in Mumbai, founded D‑Company
- 2003: Designated SDGT by U.S. Treasury
- 2011: Listed on UN ISIL/Al‑Qaida Sanctions Committee
- UN sanctions review under resolution 1822 (2008) concluded 2010‑05‑20 (Sanctions registry – third‑party record)
- U.S. reward remains active; any new intelligence could trigger fresh legal action (Sanctions registry – third‑party record)
An official record that establishes the basic biographical and legal parameters.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar |
| Date of Birth | December 26, 1955 |
| Place of Birth | Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India |
| Criminal Organization | D‑Company |
| UN Sanctions Listing | ISIL (Da’esh) and Al‑Qaida Sanctions Committee |
| US Reward | Up to $25 million |
| Reported Current Location | Karachi, Pakistan (per SATP and Indian intelligence) |
What is the latest verified information about Dawood Ibrahim?
UN sanctions listing and updates
Dawood Ibrahim remains on the United Nations Security Council sanctions list (ISIL and Al‑Qaida regime) under entry QDi.135. That listing triggers an assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo worldwide. The most recent review under Security Council resolution 1822 (2008) was completed on May 20, 2010, according to third‑party sanctions records. No formal delisting has occurred since.
His citizenship details are notably plural: the U.S. OFAC sanctions search lists India, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates. The UN entry, however, records only Indian nationality.
Triple citizenship complicates extradition and legal jurisdiction. The UAE and Pakistan are not party to a bilateral extradition treaty with India for fugitive offenders, leaving the Indian government reliant on diplomatic pressure and multilateral sanctions.
Recent intelligence reports on location
Indian intelligence agencies have long asserted that Dawood Ibrahim operates from Karachi, Pakistan. A South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) report outlines a specific address in the Clifton area. The Pakistan government has not officially confirmed his presence, and the UN sanctions listing itself lists his location as Karachi since the original 2003 OFAC designation.
For example, OFAC’s 2003 action explicitly lists “Karachi, Pakistan” as a location and includes a Pakistan passport number G869537 (OFAC recent actions – October 16, 2003).
Current status of D‑Company operations
D‑Company, the syndicate Dawood Ibrahim built, remains active in drug trafficking, extortion, and terrorism financing, according to the Wikipedia summary (well‑sourced editorial page). However, the full extent of its present‑day network is opaque. Counter‑terrorism analysts at the Jamestown Foundation (specialist security outlet) note that D‑Company has adapted to digital payments and offshore front companies, making financial tracking harder.
The pattern: Official records show a man who has been internationally blacklisted for over a decade, yet sovereign reluctance and citizenship complexities have prevented physical capture.
What should readers know first about Dawood Ibrahim?
Who is Dawood Ibrahim?
Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar was born December 26, 1955, in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India (UN sanctions entry – official birth record). He rose from a police constable’s son to become India’s most wanted gangster, orchestrating the 1993 Mumbai bombings that killed 257 people. He is listed as a “narcoterrorist” by both the U.S. Department of State and the UN Security Council.
What is D‑Company?
D‑Company is the organized crime syndicate founded by Dawood Ibrahim in the 1980s. It initially smuggled gold and electronics, then diversified into drug trafficking, contract killings, and terrorism financing. The Wikipedia entry on D‑Company describes it as a transnational network with cells in India, Pakistan, the UAE, and the UK.
Why is he a global security concern?
Dawood Ibrahim is designated under the UN ISIL (Da’esh) and Al‑Qaida sanctions regime, linking him to international terrorist financing. The U.S. Treasury’s 2003 designation explicitly states he “supports terrorism and terrorist organizations.” His network is alleged to have laundered money for Al‑Qaida and, more recently, for Lashkar‑e‑Taiba, according to Jamestown Foundation analysis.
Why this matters: For counter‑terrorism agencies, the name Dawood Ibrahim represents a bridge between organized crime and terrorism — a hybrid threat that traditional law enforcement struggles to dismantle.
Which official sources confirm key claims about Dawood Ibrahim?
UN Security Council sanctions list
The primary source for his designation is the UN Security Council sanctions list (ISIL & Al‑Qaida regime). This document provides his full name, DOB (December 26, 1955), place of birth (Bombai/Kher, Ratnagiri), nationality (Indian), and numerous aliases including Dawood Ebrahim, Sheikh Dawood Hassan, and Anis Ibrahim.
U.S. government records
The U.S. Treasury Department (primary financial regulator) designated Dawood Ibrahim as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist on October 16, 2003. The OFAC recent‑actions page provides the operational details: Karachi residence, Pakistan passport G869537. The OFAC sanctions search tool further lists his multiple citizenships and notes secondary sanctions risks under Executive Order 13224 as amended by Executive Order 13886.
Indian government records
India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed chargesheets against Dawood Ibrahim, but those documents are not publicly searchable in the same way as UN or U.S. records. However, the Wikipedia article compiles Indian government allegations, including his role in the 1993 Mumbai bombings, based on court records and press reports.
Additionally, the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP) – a research institute provides a dossier with a specific Karachi address and details of his criminal enterprises.
While UN and U.S. records are authoritative and public, Indian government documents are often sealed or reported second‑hand. The most transparent primary sources remain the UN and OFAC databases.
What this means: For any journalist or researcher needing ironclad citations, the UN and OFAC listings are the gold standard. Everything beyond those two sources carries an extra layer of interpretation.
What is still unclear or unverified about Dawood Ibrahim?
Confirmed facts
- Dawood Ibrahim is listed on the UN Security Council sanctions list (UN sanctions document).
- He is the leader of D‑Company (Wikipedia overview).
- U.S. State Department offers a reward for his capture (Rewards for Justice program).
- He is accused of involvement in the 1993 Mumbai bombings (Wikipedia article on the attacks).
- He was designated a SDGT by U.S. Treasury on October 16, 2003 (Treasury press release).
What remains unverified
- His exact current location — Pakistan has not officially confirmed his presence.
- The full scale of D‑Company’s present‑day operations — most intelligence is classified or based on informants.
- His direct role in specific post‑2000 terrorist attacks — publicly available evidence is circumstantial.
- Claims about his personal wealth (often estimated in billions) — no official audit exists.
- Whether he still holds effective operational control of D‑Company — some analysts (Jamestown Foundation) suggest his role is more symbolic today.
The trade‑off: For authorities, the lack of verifiable intelligence means they cannot safely attempt capture or extradition without risking diplomatic fallout. The unverified claims keep the case open, but not resolvable.
What are the most common user questions on Dawood Ibrahim?
How did he become a crime boss?
Dawood Ibrahim started as a small‑time smuggler in Mumbai’s Dongri area in the 1970s. He built a network that eventually controlled gold and electronics smuggling along the Arabian Sea coast. By the mid‑1980s, D‑Company was the dominant force in Mumbai’s underworld (Wikipedia – early life section).
What is his connection to the 1993 Mumbai bombings?
Indian investigators allege Dawood Ibrahim and D‑Company funded and coordinated the March 12, 1993, serial bombings that killed 257 people and injured over 700. A 2006 Indian court convicted several D‑Company operatives. Dawood Ibrahim himself has never been tried; he was designated a fugitive by Indian courts (Wikipedia – accused section).
Has he been captured or tried?
No. Dawood Ibrahim has never been arrested or faced trial in any court. He remains at large, and India’s efforts to secure extradition from Pakistan have not succeeded due to Pakistan’s denial of his presence on its soil.
Why this matters: For the millions of Indians who remember the 1993 attacks, Dawood Ibrahim is a symbol of unpunished terrorism. His continued freedom shapes public trust in legal and diplomatic systems.
Timeline of key events
- 1955 – Born in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India.
- 1980s – Rose to power in Mumbai’s underworld; founded D‑Company.
- 1993 – Accused of financing the 1993 Mumbai bombings.
- 2003 – Designated as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist by the U.S. Treasury (Treasury press release).
- 2011 – Listed on the UN ISIL (Da’esh) and Al‑Qaida Sanctions Committee (UN sanctions entry).
- 2025 – Remains on UN sanctions list; reported to be in Karachi, Pakistan.
The pattern: Each milestone in his timeline is defined by a criminal escalation followed by an international designation. The pattern repeats: crime → accusation → sanctions → impasse.
Key voices on Dawood Ibrahim
“The assets freeze, travel ban, and arms embargo apply to all UN member states.”
— United Nations Security Council sanctions regime (official summary)
“Indian intelligence agencies believe Dawood Ibrahim operates from Karachi and continues to direct D‑Company activities.”
— Jamestown Foundation (specialist security think tank)
“SATP has documented a specific address in the Clifton area of Karachi.”
The implication: Official sources consistently point to Karachi. Yet no government has produced photographic or documentary evidence of his presence there since the early 2000s, leaving the ultimate verification gap.
The road ahead: what the evidence really says
Dawood Ibrahim is a man of many records — UN sanctions, U.S. terrorism designations, Indian court charges — but almost no contemporary physical trace. The confirmed facts are frozen in time: his birth in 1955, his organization founded in the 1980s, his designation in 2003, his listing in 2011. Everything after that is intelligence reports and supposition. For the Indian government, the choice is plain: keep the sanctions pressure on, or pivot to a diplomatic gambit that risks legitimizing a fugitive. Without new hard evidence, Dawood Ibrahim will remain a ghost — wanted, designated, but untouchable.
ndtv.com, sanctions.lursoft.lv, ricago.com, facebook.com, ofac.treasury.gov, opensanctions.org, opensanctions.org
Frequently asked questions
Who is Dawood Ibrahim?
Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar is an Indian gangster and narcoterrorist, leader of the D‑Company syndicate, and a designated terrorist under UN and U.S. sanctions.
What is D‑Company?
D‑Company is a transnational organized crime syndicate founded by Dawood Ibrahim, involved in drug trafficking, extortion, and terrorism financing.
Where is Dawood Ibrahim now?
He is reported to be living in Karachi, Pakistan, according to Indian intelligence and the South Asia Terrorism Portal, though Pakistan has not officially confirmed this.
What crimes is Dawood Ibrahim accused of?
He is accused of drug trafficking, extortion, terrorism financing, and involvement in the 1993 Mumbai bombings that killed 257 people.
Is Dawood Ibrahim on the UN sanctions list?
Yes, he is listed as QDi.135 under the ISIL (Da’esh) and Al‑Qaida Sanctions Committee since 2011.
What is the US reward for Dawood Ibrahim?
The U.S. State Department’s Rewards for Justice program offers up to $25 million for information leading to his capture.
Has Dawood Ibrahim been captured?
No, he remains at large and has never been arrested or tried in any court.
Related reading
- Leonardo Rizzuto: Net Worth, Arrest & Mafia Status – Profile of another organized crime figure.
- Major Mohit Sharma: Life, Death, and Dhurandhar – Indian security and counter‑terrorism context.
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Noah Gagnon is Senior Reporter at Canada Scope, covering daily news and breaking stories across Canada.