Police make UAE's biggest drug seizure

Police have uncovered a drugs ring in Sharjah responsible for smuggling more than 200kg of heroin into the country.

Eighteen Afghanistan nationals were arrested in the joint operation by Sharjah and Dubai Police.

SHARJAH // Police have smashed a major drug-smuggling ring, seizing 202kgs of heroin worth Dh40.2 million (US$11m) in what they describe as the biggest ever bust in the region. Eighteen Afghans were arrested in the joint operation by the Sharjah and Dubai Police departments after separate raids in the emirate. The heroin was transported into the country inside the empty fuel tanks of lorries that had been imported privately. Police believe the heroin was stored in the UAE before being sold and moved to other countries. One of the men arrested confessed that he had already sold 25kgs of the drugs to three people. "This has put it clear that we are no longer a small consumer market for drugs, but at risk of becoming a hub for drug business if we don't double our efforts to eliminate this crime," said Col Abdullah Mubarak al Dukhan, the deputy director of Sharjah Police. "When it comes to drugs, everyone should be a policeman." Col Dukhan said it was a record seizure. "This was the largest quantity of heroin seized in all the Arab world at once." The Dubai Police anti-narcotics chief, Brig Yusuf al Adid, said the drugs were worth Dh40.2m by UN accounting standards. Police made the arrests on Aug 7 and 8 after acting on a tip that a group of men had turned their warehouses into drug stores and were dealing on a massive scale. "We shared some information with our colleagues in Dubai Police anti-narcotics section and agreed to form a group of experts that would follow up these fugitives," Col Dukhan said. Police stopped two of the suspects, identified as MA and DH, on Aug 7, and discovered US$163,800 in their vehicle. They then went to MA's flat in the Nabaa area of Sharjah, where they found a large number of bags in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room. Police opened six bags and found them filled with heroin, before taking the remaining load to the laboratory. At DH's flat, officials found a large quantity of packaging and processing tools, plastic bags and weighing machines used in the drugs trade. The two men, who were identified as the leaders of the gang, confessed and provided details of the crime ring, including the names of dealers, to police. The drugs were smuggled into the UAE in the fuel tanks of imported lorries, which were smeared with fuel to make detection of the contraband more difficult. The men led police to two of the lorries in an industrial area, where two other men, E and A, were observed preparing the vehicles for shipments. The men were also arrested. Acting on information provided by MA and DH, police also raided another industrial site and arrested everyone inside the warehouse. Two people tried to escape, but were captured. The rented warehouse was supposed to be used for foodstuffs, but police said there was nothing resembling food in it, only big fuel tanks. Three lorries were seized at the second warehouse, and tests revealed traces of heroin in each. The suspects confessed they had used seven lorries in their trade. Police were still testing four of the vehicles for drugs. The lorries had passed through numerous seaports, Col Dukhan said. "It does not benefit now naming each of them, but all we need to do is to increase security at all the country's entry ports so that such a thing doesn't happen in future." He urged security officials to be vigilant in their drugs screening training so they could understand the latest smuggling techniques. "Not easily could someone suspect a full fuel tank to be full of drugs." Brig Adid said the drug bust dealt a significant blow to organised crime. "There is reason for all security personnel to celebrate this victory against crime and all my bosses ... are already exchanging congratulations with each other and to all police personnel." [e-mail]