Dubai authorities have thwarted a bid to smuggle more than 278,000 prescription pills into the emirate after acting on a high-tech tip-off.
Dubai Customs officers joined forces with police to seize the 200kg haul of pregabalin, a controlled drug used to treat epilepsy and nerve pain, in two operations.
The alarm was raised when Dubai Customs' data analysis systems flagged a suspicious shipment arriving from an unspecified Asian country.
Customs officers carried out a search and uncovered 150,600 pregabalin capsules.
The team then worked with Dubai Police's anti-narcotics unit to arrest four members of a crime gang in possession of another 128,000 pills.
Brig Khalid bin Muwaiza, director of the force's Anti-Narcotics Department, said the drugs ring had been dismantled thanks to information sharing and close co-ordination between Customs and police.
Yasser Al Musallami, principal Customs affairs consultant at Dubai Customs, said harnessing cutting-edge monitoring technology and new techniques was vital to countering sophisticated smuggling methods and stopping drugs hitting the streets.
The Siyaj smart security system is used to boost the detection of high-risk shipments and the efficiency of inspection and seizure operations.
Dismantling smuggling networks is viewed as critical to the UAE's fight against drugs.
Last month, a joint operation between the UAE and Saudi Arabia foiled an attempt to smuggle 267,300 amphetamine pills.
The National Anti-Narcotics Authority, in co-ordination with Dubai Police General Headquarters, worked with the Saudi Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Directorate of Narcotics Control.
Acting on intelligence, authorities intercepted the drugs before they could be distributed and arrested the criminal network involved, all of whom are from Arab nations.
In June, the UAE launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of drug misuse, particularly among young people.
The initiative, United as One to Eradicate the Threat, was launched in Dubai by Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan, chairman of the National Drug Enforcement Authority.
“The fight against drugs is not the responsibility of a single entity, but rather a shared national and civic duty that requires public awareness, solidarity and collaboration. Safeguarding our people is the foundation for any nation’s progress and stability,” Sheikh Zayed said.
He said the evolving methods used by criminals are creating new challenges for law enforcement agencies.
