Dubai: Dubai Police have foiled an attempt to smuggle Dh3 million worth of heroin into the country.

A senior police official said the perpetrators tried to smuggle 24 kilograms of pure heroin inside pieces of furniture.

Major General Abdul Jalil Mahdi Al Asmawi, director of the Combating Narcotics Department at Dubai Police, said the accused were arrested in a joint operation conducted by Dubai Police, the federal department for fighting drugs at the Ministry of Interior, the Anti-Drug Department at Abu Dhabi Police, Jebel Ali Port Authority, and Dubai Customs.

Al Asmawi said the two suspects smuggled drugs in a shipload of furniture from the Asian region..

Al Asmawi said the first defendant works as a waiter in a restaurant and is identified as S.S., 31, married and living with his family in Abu Dhabi while the other suspect is identified as M. Kh. D., 35, a sales manager in a private company in Abu Dhabi.

The two suspects were arrested on March 5 following information by the international body to fight drugs a few months ago that a furniture container would arrive at the port of Jebel Ali containing a large amount of drugs but the information did not specify the time and date of the arrival.

“Early this month a container arrived at Jebel Ali port. The suspected container was allowed to enter the country to reach its destination in Abu Dhabi,” said Al Asmawi.

The men were arrested following the delivery. “The first suspect is linked to an international gang and was arrested in Abu Dhabi in an ambush prepared by police while he was receiving the heroin shipment,” said Al Asmawi.

Al Asmawi said the second defendant was arrested while he was accompanying and directing the driver of the truck, which was carrying the container to Abu Dhabi and he helped unload the shipment upon arrival.

After the arrest of the accused,the container was brought back to Dubai with the suspects and it was emptied in Cargo Village at Dubai International Airport in the presence of the accused.

Al Asmawi said the container held ten wooden boxes carrying 24 kg of heroin worth an estimated Dh3 million.