Dubai: The UAE is cooperating with countries all over the world in its fight against drugs, Major General Abdul Jalil Mahdi Al Asmawi, director of the anti-narcotics department at Dubai Police, said.

Drug smuggling and the use of drugs in the UAE has become a phenomenon and all efforts are needed to fight it, he said.

Crime statistics for 2013 released on Sunday by Dubai Police show that more than 364kg of illegal drugs, worth millions of dirhams, were seized in Dubai in the past five months, compared with 346kg in the same period of 2012 — an increase of five per cent.

“Unfortunately many Emiratis and expatriates are involved in smuggling and using drugs here,” Maj Gen Al Asmawi said. “Many websites has been closed which sell and promote drugs online,” he said.

He said a total of 407 drug cases had been foiled in Dubai in the past five months and the same number had also been foiled in the same period in 2012.

Maj Gen Al Asmawi said the number of suspects arrested in Dubai in relation to drug cases in the past five months this year was 523, while 577 people were arrested in the same period in 2012.

“The number of people involved in drug cases decreased this year by 9.3 per cent,” said Maj Gen Al Asmawi.

He said that recently Dubai Police and the Federal Department to fight drugs in the country were able to foil an attempt to smuggle drugs into Qatar from an Asian country after the drug dealers passed through Dubai waters.

Maj Gen Al Asmawi said on May 13 three Asian suspects used a boat to smuggle hashish to Qatar after hiding it inside a gargour (a special net for fishing used in the Gulf area).

“The suspects were hiding more than 40kg of hashish but when coast guards followed them they threw most of the hashish into the sea,” he said.

Maj Gen Al Asmawi said that 27kg of hashish was found with the smugglers.

Maj Gen Al Asmawi said Dubai Police received information that a huge amount of drugs was on its way to Qatar from an Asian country.

“We immediately informed Qatar Police through the Ministry of Interior,” he said.

He said the suspects were arrested by Qatar Police.

Maj Gen Al Asmawi said the federal committee to fight drugs last year arrested 21 Pakistani gang members who were trying to smuggle heroin into Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

He said another drug case, dubbed the Shark, involved Asian and European drug dealers who were arrested here last year.