Dubai: A massive quantity of drugs with an estimated street price of €5 million (Dh21.4 million) was seized in European countries, thanks to intelligence provided by Dubai Police for more than one-and-a-half years.
A total of 80 suspects were arrested in seven countries — Germany, Denmark, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Austria.
From bananas to Oxford Dictionary books, the suspects used different consignments and ways to smuggle two tonnes of drugs — including heroin, cocaine, crystal meth, qat and amphetamine pills — into Europe.
Major-General Abdullah Khalifa Al Merri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, said since May 2016, Dubai Police had been cooperating with the German Federal Customs Service’s investigative unit (ZKA) by providing intelligence about drug suspects and shipments to Germany and other European countries like Denmark, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Austria.
“It is one of the most important cases that was under the supervision of Lt-General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior. We passed our information to authorities in seven European countries, leading to the arrest of 80 suspects and recovery of tonnes of drugs,” Maj-Gen Al Merri said.
According to Norbert Drude, president of ZKA, the value of the two tonnes of drugs was about €5 million.
“We want to thank Dubai Police for their efforts which helped to seize the drugs. This achievement won’t have happened without the information provided by Dubai Police,” Drude told Gulf News.
“Dubai Police were professional in their cooperation in these cases. We hope for more cooperation at different security levels not only in fighting drugs,” Drude added.
Major-General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commander-in-Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs of Dubai Police, said they also sent officers to the seven countries for more cooperation that helped crack down on the suspects.
“For more than a year, officers from Dubai Police had been travelling to different European countries to cooperate with the security authorities there to arrest the suspects. We always cooperate with other countries to combat the drug menace. We battle this war not only inside the country but also worldwide,” Maj-Gen Al Mansouri said.
Maj-Gen Al Merri said Dubai Police collected information about many people who were involved in suspicious drug activities in these seven European countries. “In May 2016, we had confirmed information about the 80 suspects who were part of drug gangs. We passed the information to Germany and after long meetings and sending our officers to Europe, the authorities concerned arrested them all,” Maj-Gen Al Merri said.
The suspects were using the UAE as transit point to Europe for transporting the drugs in some cases.
They used different methods to smuggle the drugs like hiding them among bananas, inside Oxford Dictionary books, bags, boxes, candy capsules and speakers.
- From May 2016, 80 suspects arrested in Germany, Denmark, Holland, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Austria
- Two tonnes of drugs seized
- €5 million the value of the seized drugs
