Dubai Police have arrested three suspects who attempted to smuggle nearly 90,000 Captagon tablets concealed inside clothing buttons, an operation valued at Dh4.4 million.
Authorities said the drugs, weighing 18.93 kilograms, were seized from an apartment in Dubai and a secondary location in a neighboring emirate before they could be trafficked abroad.
The suspects — two Arab nationals and one Asian national — were allegedly acting under the instructions of a leader based overseas. Investigators said they planned to smuggle the pills to a neighboring country.
A specialized task force tracked the gang’s movements, vehicles, and residences before raiding the sites and uncovering the drugs hidden in button compartments.
The operation, code-named “Toxic Buttons,” was carried out in close coordination with Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control.
Police emphasized the importance of international cooperation in tackling organized crime and reiterated the UAE’s commitment to fighting narcotics trafficking.
