Dubai: Ten kilograms of heroin worth Dh750,000 was seized by the Dubai Police's Anti-Narcotics Department, a senior police official said at a press conference yesterday.
Major General Abdul Jaleel Al Asmawi, director-general of the Anti-Narcotics Department of Dubai Police, said that the drugs were seized in the Al Mamzar area from an African businessman, D.A., 38, after a well-coordinated operation by a team from the Anti-Narcotics Department.
Tip-off
Al Asmawi said the Anti-Narcotics Department acted on a tip-off received on April 4 about an African national who was about to receive a large amount of narcotics in Al Baraha area. After investigations, police were able to narrow down on the suspect's personal details. A few days later, police received information that the man was waiting in a taxi in Al Mamzar area, he added.
A team was dispatched immediately and tracked down the taxi and confronted D.A. as the taxi stopped at a red light.
Police arrested D.A. after identifying themselves and informing him that they had permission from the public prosecutor to arrest and search him, Al Asmawi said. The narcotics were found in a bag in the taxi.
D.A., who was in the country on a visitor's visa, confessed that he knew he was carrying drugs, and was charged with drug possession with intent to sell and also potential drug abuse, Al Asmawi said. He added that investigations were under way and it was unclear how the drugs were smuggled into the country.
Al Asmawi said the drugs were not intended to be sold in the UAE but were being stashed away until the suspect could find a potential buyer outside the country. He also added that D.A. had received multiple shipments of drugs but police had to wait for the right time to catch him red-handed.
