Dubai // A policeman was killed and another seriously injured when their car overturned while they were chasing a suspected drugs dealer.
Ali al Ansari, a 33-year-old Emirati at the anti-drugs department, died and his colleague was seriously injured during the chase on Emirates Road last week.
Officer al Ansari was married with two children. His family is in Qatar, where he was buried.
"He was a nice man with a lot of motivation and devotion to his work and was polite to everybody," said Maj Gen Abdul al Jaleel al Mahdi, the head of the anti-drugs department. "He is a martyr as he died while carrying out his duty."
The dead officer had been working for the department for more than 16 years.
The accident happened at about 11pm last Tuesday after police acted on a tip about a dealer driving on Emirates Road from Abu Dhabi towards Dubai with drugs in his car.
"Two undercover patrols, along with three police patrols, were sent to Emirates Road to arrest the suspect in a trap," said Maj Gen al Mahdi.
According to Maj Gen al Mahdi, the suspect initially stopped for the patrol but refused to open his car and drove off after he realised they were undercover police from the anti-drugs department.
A third policeman was slightly injured when the suspect, a man in his 50s from an unnamed Gulf country, hit him with his car while driving off.
Officer al Ansari and his colleague, Saeed al Mehiri, a 26-year-old Emirati, drove after the man, who then allegedly crashed his car into theirs in an attempt to escape.
"He wanted to crash into them, to push them away so he could escape, and this caused their car to overturn," said Maj Gen al Mahdi.
The police car reportedly overturned several times, killing officer al Ansari who was in the passenger seat and seriously injuring officer al Mehiri, who was driving.
Officer al Mehiri is still in hospital but his condition is said to be stable.
The suspect was arrested a few hours later after being found hiding in an apartment in Ajman.
"We were able to arrest him with the help of Ajman Police," said Maj Gen al Mahdi.
However, police say the suspect had already disposed of the drugs.
Two days later, two other suspects were arrested for allegedly supplying him with the drugs. "During questioning, the suspect led us to the people who supply him with drugs," said Maj Gen al Mahdi.
The case has been referred to public prosecution and he is facing charges of use and distribution of drugs as well as evading arrest and causing the death of a policeman.
