Dubai: Seven people were arrested by Dubai Police in four major drug busts last month resulting in the seizure of thousands of illicit painkillers, heroin and crystal meth, police confirmed on Tuesday.

Major-General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant to the Dubai Police Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, said six Asian suspects and one Gulf national are facing criminal charges related to smuggling, trading and trafficking.

“All suspects were trying to make illegal profit and to ruin society, especially the young people, by smuggling and selling the drugs in the country. They will be prosecuted and punished by the law,” Maj-Gen Al Mansouri said.

Dubai Police said they seized 557,000 Tramadol pills and 91,000 other illegal painkillers during the busts.

Police also seized 1.6kg of heroin and 340 grams of crystal meth.

Colonel Eid Mohammad Thani Hareb, director of the police’s Anti-Narcotic Department, said police received information about three Asian men trading in Tramadol. The men were arrested from a car at a Fujairah petrol station. A search of the car uncovered thousands of illegal painkillers.

The second operation was on March 19 in a residential area of Al Ain where Dubai Police and Al Ain police arrested an Asian truck driver who was trafficking drugs.

“We arrested him and found a bag inside his residence containing 1.6kg of heroin and 298 grams of crystal meth. He was selling drugs for money,” Col Hareb said.

The third operation was conducted on March 22 when Dubai Police arrested an Asian man who was trying to sell a large amount of illegal painkillers. Police set a trap by sending an undercover police officer to the suspect to convince him to sell some amount of drugs and he was arrested.

The last operation happened on March 22 when police arrested a Gulf national who was found with thousands of illegal painkillers inside his home and 42 grams of crystal meth in his possession.

“He confessed that the drugs belonged to a drug dealer who is already in prison over drug cases and that he was selling the drugs for him.”

Col Hareb praised his officers’ work to curb the drug trade and urged the public to alert police if they suspected any person is involved in drug promotion or sale.