Man arrested for trying to sell a wolf in Dubai

Dubai: Dubai Police arrested a man who was trying to sell a wolf.

Officers of Dubai Police received information about a suspect looking to sell a wolf in the emirate. After an intensive investigation, the man was arrested after police laid out a trap for him. He was later referred to the appropriate authority for legal action.

According to Dubai Police, a proper shelter and treatment was provided to the wolf in coordination with Dubai Municipality.

Incidentally, this was the first case handled by the new department in Dubai Police that was established to combat crimes against wildlife, endangered species and predators. The Environmental Crimes Section will crack down on violations related to illegal selling of animals and identify the owners in the emirate as per instructions of Lt Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-In-Chief of Dubai Police.

Brigadier Jamal Al Jallaf, Director of Criminal Investigation Department at Dubai Police, said the department will enhance public safety and deal with violations of obtaining predators and endangered animals.

“We wanted to have a specialised section in Dubai Police to deal with such violations, in coordination with our strategic partners. We noticed that some people were owning, breeding and selling predators as well as walking them in public places or showing them off on social media platforms,” Al Jallaf told Dubai Police’s Al Amn magazine. “Such behaviours are against the law and they endanger the lives of community members,” he added.

Colonel Khalfan Al Jallaf, Director of the new section at Dubai Police, said the department was still in its early stages, but the officers had already succeeded with their first case. He said that possessing dangerous animals is punishable in the country under Article 19 of Federal Law No 22 of 2016, that regulates the possession of dangerous animals.

“Whoever possesses dangerous animals for trafficking purposes shall be sentenced to imprisonment and/or fined no less than Dh50,000 and no more than Dh500,000,” Col Al Jallaf said. He added that Article 18 of the same law punishes anyone who uses dangerous animals to cause fear or panic among the public.

“Whoever uses a dangerous animal to instil terror in people shall be sentenced to imprisonment and to a fine of no less than Dh100,000 and no more than Dh700,000 or either of the two penalties. The punishment can go up to a life sentence if the person uses a dangerous animal intentionally to assault a human being and cause his or her death.”

Col Al Jallaf said the department will provide a hotline in the future to receive complaints about predators and spread awareness among community members.