The Don Connection

Related to my previous post, there is some interesting information.

Though largely unreported in local media, Indian Don Dawood Ibrahim is said to be responsible for initiation of large scale industrial manufacturing and sale of gutka in Karachi.

According to various reports printed in almost all Indian news papers (NDTV, Indian Express and Times of India to name a few), two Indian gutka barons who control a huge part of US$ 1 billion gutka sale across the globe, approached Dawood Ibrahim to settle some dispute. During mediation, Dawood asked them share their gutka manufacturing know how. They arranged for machinery to be exportrd from Surat and Mumbai to Karachi via Dubai.

According to Indian Police, 15 gutka making machines are sent to Pakistan. And according to Mumbai tabloid mid day, Dawood Ibrahim rakes in a cool Rs 150 crore a year selling gutka in Karachi. According to Times of India, two Scotland yard officers traveled to New Delhi in May 2007 to probe on the gutka case.

According to investigators in India, Dawood has started using an ingredient called krishnamess, manufactured in Switzerland, which is used to enhance the taste of gutka. It is sold at Rs 30,000 per kg. According to the media reports, Dawood is also planning to open a plant in Dubai.