In joint operations carried out by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Oman during the first half of this year seized around 158 kilos of cannabis and Captagon tablets worth Dh2.7 million. These operations resulted in the arrest of 12 dealers.
Colonel Saeed Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Federal Anti-Drugs Control Department and Deputy Chairman of the Anti-Narcotics Council, said that the UAE leadership has shown great interest in the fight against drugs at the local, regional and international levels.
Colonel Taher Ghareeb Al Dhahiri, Director of the Anti-Narcotic Department at the Abu Dhabi Police, said that one of the operations was launched after information was gathered by security agencies confirming that a regional drug gang was involved in smuggling narcotics in the Gulf. He added “with cooperation from Omani police, the team was able to arrest the main suspect following an ambush. The police recovered a pistol and other arms in his possession”.
In two more operations, the police nabbed drug traffickers while they were trying to smuggle cannabis into Saudi Arabia through the UAE. The police of both countries set up a joint force and swooped on the smugglers while they crossed the UAE borders and were heading towards Saudi Arabia.
In the fourth operation, Lieutenant Colonel Majid Sultan Al-Asam, Deputy Director of Anti-Narcotics Department at Sharjah Police, said that confidential information received by them indicated that drug traffickers were planning to smuggle Captagon tablets to Saudi Arabia, through the UAE. The UAE police coordinated with their Saudi Arabia counterparts and captured the suspects.