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29 March 2024

Dubai reports surge in drug busts

Published
By Staff

Dubai authorities seized nearly 830 kg of drugs in the first 11 months of 2012 and the figures showed there was a sharp rise in almost all narcotics seized.

The figures by the counter-drug department in the Gulf’s commercial and business hub showed around 52 kg of opium were busted during that period, a whopping increase of 103 per cent over the same period of 2011, when it stood at 460 gm.

Counter-drug squads and customs also seized 283 kg of hashish during this year compared with 24 kg in the same period of last year.

The figures, provided by the department’s director Major General Abdul Jalil Al Asmawi, showed the amount of smuggled cocaine busted in the emirate surged by nearly 78 per cent to 201.9 kg from 38.5 kg in the same period.

His figures, published in the Arabic language daily Alkhaleej, showed nearly 110 kg of heroin were also seized this year compared with 101 kg in the first 11 months of 2011.

He said 872 drug cases were recorded in Dubai in the first 11 months of 2012 including 338 cases involving taking drugs, 288 for possessing narcotics and 136 for smuggling. The other cases included distribution and trading.

“There was no case involving planting drugs this year against one case last year,” Asmawi said.