Iranian ship smuggling people and drugs seized in Khalid Port, Sharjah

A joint team from the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General and the Anti-Narcotics Department at Sharjah Police has seized an Iranian ship whose captain attempted to smuggle a large quantity of narcotics, as well as two Iranian nationals, through Khalid Port in Sharjah.
Colonel Saeed Al Suwaidi, Director-General of the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior (MoI), stated that alertness and efforts of the Anti-Narcotic staff and cooperation of the concerned bodies, resulted in seizing 11.5kg of hashish and 142,725 narcotic pills, which were hidden in secret compartments.
The operation also resulted in capturing 10 persons on the ship, including two who were hiding in the balance tank on the ship, with the aim of entering UAE illegally. The two people were suffering from exhaustion due to lack of oxygen and high temperatures.

Al Suwaidi stressed the keenness of the MoI to protect the UAE and its citizens from the scourge of narcotics, as well as promoting the cohesion and cooperation between all concerned authorities. This comes with the aim to foil all the criminal plans and plotting to harm the UAE and its gains and citizens.

He called upon the citizens and resident in the UAE to cooperate with the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General and report drug dealers through ‘Mukafih’ phone service by calling the number 80044, or sending a text to 2244. He also urged parents to utilise the service provided by Mukafih including electronic awareness messages on the dangers of narcotics, early detection of drug abuse within the family, and providing help for addiction rehabilitation.

Lt. Colonel Ahmed Abdul Aziz, Acting Director of Anti-Narcotics Department at Sharjah Police said that the operation dates back to October 25, when the ship was suspected of carrying illegal cargo. Following a thorough search, it was discovered that the ship was carrying  11.5kg of hashish and 142,725 pills of narcotics hidden in cylinders and pumps for discharging automobiles’ oil.

“After interrogation, the captain of the ship confessed that the seized narcotics were being transported to a number of drug dealers with the aim of distributing them in the UAE as per the directions of a drug dealer in Iran. Hence, a number of teams were formed to arrest those dealers,” he said.

“We set up a number of ambushes to capture them red-handed while receiving the narcotics with the purpose of distributing them in the UAE. The operation resulted in capturing six of the most active drug dealers, bringing the total of convicts in the case to 16. They were referred to prosecution to be punished according the laws of the UAE. The ship was also seized pending the legal procedures,” he concluded.

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