Abu Dhabi Police seize two million Captagon tablets hidden in dried apricot boxes

Three arrested after UAE authorities co-operate to foil smugglers

Three men who were arrested after 2.25 million Captagon tablets were discovered in boxes labelled as dried apricots. Photo: Abu Dhabi Police

Related: Captagon crisis and the Middle East's war on drugs

Three men have been arrested in Abu Dhabi after 2.25 million Captagon tablets were found in boxes labelled as dried apricots.

Abu Dhabi Police said smugglers planned to sell some of the illicit drugs in the UAE and transport the rest to a neighbouring country.

“One million of these tablets were destined for the domestic market, while the remaining tablets were meant for smuggling,” said Brig Gen Taher Al Dhaheri, director of Abu Dhabi Police's anti-narcotics team.

He said the operation was successful thanks to a comprehensive plan and co-operation with authorities in the UAE.

Officers tracked the movements of three men after being alerted to a plan to smuggle drugs.

They were arrested and the huge haul of drugs, hidden in three different apartments in a neighbouring emirate, was confiscated.

Tools used to package the pills were also seized.

Brig Gen Taher highlighted the importance of collaboration with relevant institutions to combat drug threats.

He urged people to report any information related to drug crimes.

He said Abu Dhabi Police had been successful in curbing drug trafficking, with numerous seizures resulting from their efforts.

“The force’s efforts are aimed at protecting society, especially young people, from the deadly effects of drugs, and enhancing preventive measures against crime and strengthening the security and stability of society,” he said.

Captagon is thought to be the narcotic used most in the Middle East.

In February, Abu Dhabi Police seize 4.5 million Captagon tablets stashed in cans of green beans.

The war on Captagon

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  Lebanon's Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, left, at a press conference in Beirut that revealed an attempt had been foiled to smuggle a large quantity of Captagon pills in a shipment of tea. AFP

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  Lebanese police swooped and seized the boxes of tea containing amphetamines after the smugglers sailed from Beirut’s port. AP

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  A member of Lebanon's security forces shows how the drugs were hidden deep within what looked like legitimate cargo. EPA

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  The amphetamines were hidden in 434 boxes mixed with seven tons of tea for export. AP

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  Mr Mawlawi said the drugs were being sent to Togo in Africa, to then be shipped to the Gulf. AFP

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  Some of the tea mixed with Captagon pills. Previous consignments have been hidden in fake oranges and lemons, car tyres and even live sheep. AFP

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  Last year, Saudi Arabia suspended fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon after more than five million Captagon pills concealed in fruit were confiscated. EPA

The drug was created in 1961 as an alternative to amphetamines and methamphetamines. It was used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and, less commonly, depression. However, it never received regulatory approval from the US Food and Drug Administration.

In 1981, Captagon was declared a controlled substance after doctored determined that addiction outweighed its clinical benefits. By 1986, its manufacture had been outlawed in almost every country, although illegal production continued.

Criminal gangs from Bulgaria and Turkey are believed to have helped to introduce Captagon to the Middle East, where production has flourished in territory beyond the control of fragile states such as Syria and Lebanon.

Trade in Captagon in the Middle East grew exponentially in 2021 to exceed $5 billion, posing an increasing health and security risk to the region, a 2022 report said.

Research by the New Lines Institute painted an alarming picture of the impact booming Captagon production is having on the region.

“The Captagon trade is a rapidly growing illicit economy in the Middle East and Mediterranean,” said a report written by analysts Caroline Rose and Alexander Soderholm.