More than 11 tonnes of drugs were seized last year, thanks to the efforts of UAE authorities.
This includes three tonnes of hashish a Pakistani gang was planning to smuggle out of Karachi.
Information passed to Pakistani authorities by their UAE counterparts last February led to the seizure of 3,008 kilograms of the drug and the arrest of two suspects, said Col Saeed Al Suwaidi, the director general of the Federal Anti-Narcotics Directorate.
In September, the UAE was tipped off about a hashish stash in Karachi. After a months-long investigation by Pakistan’s anti-drug services, 603kg of the drug was seized, with another 540kg recovered later.
The UAE’s coordination with Iran’s drugs agency stopped 7.2 tonnes of heroin, opium and hashish being smuggled on a ship in Iranian waters.
A four-member gang was planning to take the drugs to the Arabian Gulf and Africa.
In the GCC, two attempts to smuggle heroin capsules, weighing 500 grams each, werefoiled.
The suspects were arrested in cooperation with Omani authorities.
The Federal Anti-Narcotics Department also informed their peers in Saudi Arabia about an Asian man who tried to smuggle 769kg of heroin into the kingdom last November.
The department was also informed about an Asian who was planning to smuggle heroin into a GCC state.
All GCC airports and border crossings were tipped off and the suspect was arrested in Qatar with about 1kg of heroin in 105 capsules.
newsdesk@thenational.ae
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
DUNGEONS%20%26%20DRAGONS%3A%20HONOR%20AMONG%20THIEVES
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESmartCrowd%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2018%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESiddiq%20Farid%20and%20Musfique%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%20%2F%20PropTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24650%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2035%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%20institutional%20investors%20and%20notable%20angel%20investors%20(500%20MENA%2C%20Shurooq%2C%20Mada%2C%20Seedstar%2C%20Tricap)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances