1,200 drug arrests in Dubai in just 11 months, police say

More than 800kg of narcotics was seized in first 11 months of this year.

DUBAI // Police seized more than 800kg of narcotics and arrested more than 1,200 people involved in drug-related crime in the emirate in the first 11 months of this year.

Dubai Police said there have been 1,222 people involved in 872 drug-related cases this year, an increase of about nine per cent compared with the same period last year, when there was 806.

This year, 447 people were referred to Dubai public prosecution under charges of drug abuse, while another 415 people were charged for possessing drugs, according to Dubai Police Statistics.

Gulf nationals, including Emiratis, topped the list of the number of people arrested this year in drug-related cases, at more than 550 people.

Among the 830kg of drugs seized, 284kg of that was hashish, another 201kg was cocaine and 101kg was heroin.

The newly banned synthetic drug spice was also among the seized drugs, making up 7kg of the total amount.