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28 March 2024

UAE drug bust: Smugglers armed with surveillance cams and pistols

Published
By Mohammed El Sadafy

A joint police operation has successfully busted an armed drug smuggling gang, who would have posed a great danger to the country.

The police team in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain had been watching their moves for the last three months, before they raided a farm in Abu Dhabi and confiscated two pistols, a huge stash of live ammunition, hashish, opium, heroin, more than 70,000 narcotic pills, an assortment of cash, an electric prod and drug packaging, weighing and smoking tools, among others.

Police even discovered drugs hidden in the ceilings and vehicles of the suspects.

Major-General Abdul Jalil Mahdi, Head, Anti-narcotic Department, Dubai Police, said, “ The gang comprised several Emiratis and Arab nationals. While, the mastermind was one Asian, residing in a neighbouring country. He would supply drugs to two Emiratis – who have previous criminal records.

Maj-Gen Mahdi said, the discovery of unauthorized pistols show the criminal intent of the suspects. If not arrested, they would have posed a danger to the country even, he opined. “They had surveillance cameras installed around the farm’s fence, which were connected to a monitor. They seemed prepared to shoot anyone who interfered with their activities,” he added.

While one of them was nabbed in Bur Dubai area, the other was arrested from Mussafah in Abu Dhabi. The others were nabbed two days later.

“Upon arrest, the duo confessed that they would receive drug shipments, which were smuggled through rented fishing boats. They would stash them up at the farm and later peddle them as and when they received orders. Some gang members would frequent the farm to consume the drugs, too,” said Maj-Gen Mahdi.