The Dubai Police recently foiled a plot by an international gang to smuggle 123 kilograms, kg, of crystal meth into the country by hiding the toxins in the bottom of a refrigerated shipping container arriving from an Asian country.
Codenamed “the Fridge”, the operation resulting in apprehending three gang members red-handed as they were trying to place the drugs in the bottom of a container for the final delivery. The culprits were acting on the instructions of their leader, based in an Asian country.
Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, the Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, confirmed that the operation was another example of the force’s continuous efforts to thwart the nefarious designs of drug dealers.
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“The safety and security of the UAE community is a line that shall not be crossed. Our anti-narcotics officers are always ready and will spare no effort to eradicate these harmful toxins and bring drug dealers and smugglers to justice,” Lt. Gen. Al Marri vowed.
Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, said, “Empowered by the accumulated experience of the anti-narcotics teams of Dubai Police, Sharjah Police and Sharjah Customs, we have been able to dismantle the harmful organisation who sought to introduce and promote their toxins into our safe country.”
Brigadier Eid Mohammed Thani Hareb, Director of Anti-Narcotics Department at Dubai Police, said they were tipped off about an Asian criminal gang located inside the country. “We learnt that the gang was expecting a shipment of drugs concealed in a container designated for transporting fruits and vegetables on a ship arriving from an Asian country.”
He said they immediately assigned the case to a specialised task force. “We made sure all legal measures were initiated including permission from the Dubai Public Prosecution to arrest and search the suspect, as well as inspecting their vehicle and residence.”
He pointed out that the fruit and vegetable merchant came to the seaport, received the container and unloaded it at the Fruit and Vegetable Market. However, the merchant was unaware that the gang had hidden 123kg of crystal meth at the bottom.
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“After unloading the container, the merchant placed it in a yard designated for parking and queuing containers. Meanwhile, the undercover anti-narcotics team maintained close surveillance and waited for the gang members to come for their illegal shipment,” Brig. Hareb added.
“One night, three individuals approached the yard and began searching for the refrigerated container. As the suspects proceeded to unload the drugs, our team took them by surprise and arrested them red-handed,” he continued.
During investigations, the suspects admitted that they were directed by their leader to unload the drugs and hide them for some time until they received further instructions for the final delivery. The suspects also confessed that they carried out that operation in return for AED12,000.
The director of the Anti-Narcotics Department at Dubai Police praised the cooperation and coordination with Sharjah Police.
Brig. Hareb called upon the public to report any suspicious activities to the department by contacting Dubai Police Call Centre 901.
He issued a reminder that Article 43 of the UAE Federal Law states that no criminal proceedings will be instituted against any abusers of narcotics.
