Cops nab blacksmith with 2.23m drug pills

An Arab national blacksmith has been arrested by Abu Dhabi police in Al Ain city while attempting to smuggle drug pills to a Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) country.

The accused had hidden about 2.23 million drug pills in 10 sacks and a bag, in a house in Al Ain. He was planning to smuggle and sell this consignment to a drug dealer in the GCC state.

Dubbed the 'Bu Staif Drugs', the Abu Dhabi police foiled the attempt jointly with the Patrol Control team of the Interior Ministry of the destination country.

Details of the trans-border crime were disclosed recently by Lt Col Hamad Ahmed Al Hamadi, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department of Abu Dhabi Police. He said, "The vigilance of the police forces led to the arrest and seizure of drugs."

He said the shipment was earlier smuggled into the UAE through a seaport. The police were tipped off about the Arab national, identified as AAA. When arrested, the accused confessed butclaimed the drugs shipment belonged to a relative residing in the GCC country and that he had received the shipment without knowing they were drugs.

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