Man arrested for smuggling 48 tonnes of drugs into the UAE

Suspect is accused of storing the haul in a warehouse in Abu Dhabi

Police have arrested a man in connection with a drug smuggling plot. Photo: UAE Public Prosecution.

A man has been arrested in Abu Dhabi on suspicion of smuggling more than 48 tonnes of drugs into the capital.

The suspect from an Asian country is said to have stored the narcotics and painkillers in a warehouse in the emirate.

Officers from Abu Dhabi Police's anti-narcotics department placed the man under surveillance before making an arrest, prosecutors said on Tuesday.

“He stored the drugs in a warehouse in a professional way,” police said on Tuesday. They said the man planned to sell the drugs in the UAE.

Prosecutors called on the public to report any activities that may be related to drug trafficking to authorities.

The UAE has taken a tough stance on drug trafficking, with police and customs teams thwarting major drug operations in recent years.

The Ministry of Interior has blocked more than 2,800 social media accounts in the past three years that were found to be promoting drugs, as part of government efforts to combat drug abuse and safeguard public health and safety.

In June, a global crime-fighting coalition, including the UAE, seized more than 55 tonnes of drugs valued at $750m and made 597 arrests in a two-month operation.