Dubai: Dubai Police arrested three Asian men and seized 6.6kg of heroin and crystal meth from their possession while they were trying to smuggle the same into a Gulf country through Al Ghuwaifat border, an officer said on Wednesday.
Major-General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, assistant to the Dubai Police Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, said the gang members were arrested on May 4 this year. The three Asian suspects were truck drivers and they had been coordinating with a drug dealer outside the country to smuggle the drugs abroad. The police seized 3kg of heroin and 3.6kg of crystal meth.
“We received information about two Asian men reaching the border checkpoint to smuggle a big quantity of drugs to a Gulf country. A team of officers moved quickly and managed to reach the border post and arrested the two suspects while they were finishing their procedure to cross the border,” Maj-Gen Al Mansouri said.
Colonel Eid Mohammad Thani Hareb, director of the police’s Anti-Narcotic Department, said they identified the ring leader who was waiting in his truck for his partners to finish the procedure and cross the border but the officers arrested him.
“He was ready to leave and was shocked when he was arrested. He took orders from a major drug dealer located outside the country,” Col Hareb said.
The first two suspects were using a Mercedes truck which was originally used for transporting goods between the GCC. They found 13 plastic bags of crystal meth weighing 3.6kg.
Police used X-ray scanner to search the Mercedes truck and found 3kg of heroin hidden in secret cavities inside the driver’s cabin.
Col Hareb said the seized drugs were worth millions of dirhams.
The trio were referred to Dubai Public Prosecution after charging two of them with possessing, smuggling, trading and having drugs after the tests showed they consumed hashish. The third suspect was charged with possessing drugs with the purpose of trading.
