Drugs worth Dh500m seized in mid-ocean

Dubai: Dubai Police intelligence helped foil a drug smuggling operation worth more than Dh500 million.

Ten suspects were arrested in the middle of the Indian Ocean in the first-of-its-kind operation. An international task force seized 350kg of hashish and 500kg of crystal meth.

Maj Gen Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Deputy Chief of Dubai Police, said at a press conference yesterday at Dubai Police headquarters and attended by Major General Abdul Jalil Mahdi Al Asmawi, Director of Dubai Police’s Anti-Narcotics Department, that Dubai Police intelligence helped arrest the gang in cooperation and coordination with international coalition task forces.

Maj Gen Al Mazeina said that the case was followed up by Lt Gen Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Lt Gen Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police.

Maj Gen Al Mazeina said the Indian Ocean operation took place just 360km from the coast of Somalia.

“This case happened in the middle of the ocean and is the first of its kind in terms of Dubai Police cooperation and coordination with international forces,” he said.

He said that Dubai Police obtained information about a fishing vessel coming from a Pakistani port sailing towards Djibouti, containing a large shipment of illegal drugs and that the crew, who were all Asian, intended to take the shipment to another country and were to meet another ship to pass on the drugs.

Zero hour

He said Dubai Police were able to get information about the shipment and where it was heading.

“We transferred our information to the international coalition task forces and the concerned authorities,” said Maj Gen Al Mazeina.

“A team from Dubai Police and the Federal Anti-Narcotics Department at the Ministry of Interior worked on following up the case in cooperation with the international forces for fighting drugs,” he said.

“Accordingly, zero hour was planned by Dubai Police,” he said.

Maj Gen Al Mazeina said international coalition task forces stopped the ship for an inspection. He said they confiscated 350kg of hashish and during a follow-up inspection on the second day, based on information from Dubai Police, 500kg of crystal meth was seized.

Maj Gen Al Mazeina said the total value of the seized drugs was more than Dh500 million. The value of the hashish was said to be more than Dh3.5 million. The drugs were hidden behind the ship’s engine.