Dubai: Dubai Police foiled eight attempts to smuggle cocaine via Dubai into multiple countries in the past few months, a top police official said. Another woman was arrested in Dubai after trying to smuggle cocaine into the country in her underwear.
Major General Abdul Jalil Mahdi Mohammad Al Asmawi, Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department at Dubai Police, said on Tuesday that Dubai Police cooperation with international and local police agencies led to the seizure of the class A drug.
Major General Al Asmawi said three consignments of the drug were heading to Lagos in Nigeria, and the other five were heading to Angola, Bangladesh, Kenya, Abidjan and Pakistan.
He said two Asian women and six men — five from Africa and one from South America were involved.
“The total amount of drugs seized in these cases was 16 kilograms of cocaine,” said Major General Al Asmawi.
He said one female suspect, who was heading to Angola, tried to smuggle 8.8kg of cocaine in the lining of handbags. The other suspect was allowed to leave Dubai airport and was arrested at Karachi airport after Dubai Police told police in Karachi she had 1.9kg of cocaine in her luggage.
Another suspect was arrested in Nigeria after Dubai Police told Lagos Police about the smuggling bid.
“The suspect was arrested at Lagos airport with 1.4kg of cocaine, which was made to look like buttons stitched on a jacket,” he said.
Two other arrests were also made at Lagos airport.
Swallowed capsules
“The first suspect was arrested with 1.18 kg of cocaine, which was hidden in a wooden jewellery box while the other suspect had swallowed 18 capsules of cocaine,” said Major General Al Asmawi.
The other two suspects were arrested in Nairobi. The first suspect had swallowed 28 capsules of cocaine, weighing 659 grams, and the other had swallowed six capsules of cocaine, weighing a total of 711 grams.
Another suspect was arrested at Dhaka airport, after Dubai Police sent information to the authorities that a South American suspect was trying to smuggle two kilograms of cocaine.
Meanwhile, an Asian woman, identified as M.C.S., was arrested at Dubai International Airport while trying to smuggle drugs into the country.
“The woman was caught in possession of a cocaine capsule weighing 1.19kg which she hid in her underwear,” said Major General Al Asmawi.
The suspect admitted to police that she had brought the drug from Brazil in return for cash and was planning to hand it over to someone in Dubai.
The suspect was arrested and the case has been referred to the public prosecution.
Major General Al Asmawi said international cooperation is helping to tackle drug smuggling.
