Muscat: An Asian, suspected to be a member of an international drug gang, was arrested in Birka town, about 100km north of Muscat, according to a Royal Oman Police press release on Saturday.
“We had information that the suspect was promoting the use of narcotics in the country, so a watch was kept on him for several days,” a spokesman for the ROP’s Public Relations Department said.
He added that the suspect was in touch with drug gangs outside Oman. “When he was finally arrested, he had a consignment of heroin concealed in his shoes,” he said, adding that the ROP officers also recovered cash and two mobile phones, which the police said were used to communicate with an international drug ring.
The police have handed over the Asian suspect to the Public Prosecution for further investigation before being referred to the court.
Foodstuff seized
Meanwhile, Customs officers at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat seized a container that came from an Asian country. “We have confiscated over 200 cartons of foodstuff and soft drinks as expiry dates of the products seemed to have been altered,” revealed Colonel Younus Al Mahrooqi, Deputy Director at the Customs Department at Sultan Qaboos Port.
He added that a routine inspection of the container, to ensure that the importers were following the standards and specifications set by the Gulf Cooperation Council states, revealed attempts so bring expired material into Oman.
In another incident, the police arrested two Asians for robbing an Omani couple in Ansab suburb of Muscat. “The couple was standing outside their vehicle when two Asians opened a door on the other side of the car and decamped with mobile phones and cash,” the ROP spokesman said.
However, the suspects were caught after few hours from the same area and handed over to the Public Prosecution.
