Dubai: The General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police supplied liaison officers of 23 different countries with 76 security tips in 2020, which aided the arrest of 19 international fugitives and the seizure of hundreds of tons of illegal drugs and psychotropic substances. The department also blocked 75 online profiles and websites over the same period for selling and promoting drugs.
These statistics were announced during the department’s annual inspection conducted by Lieutenant General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, who praised the department’s efforts in combating drugs locally and internationally and protecting the community.
According to the end-of-year report, the department conducted 45.5 per cent of the total arrests made by the state against drug traffickers and smugglers in 2020. It also seized what is equal to 75.7 per cent of total drugs seized by law enforcement agencies across the country.
Lt. Gen. Al Marri reviewed awareness programmes launched by the Anti-Narcotics Department in 2020, including efforts of Hemaya International Centre, which organised 124 awareness activities benefiting 31,123,63 participants of 50 different nationalities. He reviewed the department’s humanitarian work as it provided social aids and assistance to 53 beneficiaries in 2020.
During the annual inspection which was held in the UAE Pavilion at Expo 2020, Lt. Gen. Al Marri was briefed on the results of the ‘Drug Promoting Messages’ campaign, which was launched by Hemaya International Centre in cooperation with many partners including RTA, UAE Central Bank, and mobile service providers Etisalat and Du, to encourage public members to report drug promoters and messages to Dubai Police.
The campaign, which ran from July 15 to November 1, 2021, achieved its goals as the 901 call centre witnessed a 32 per cent increase in the number of drug-related inquiries and a 150 per cent increase in the number of cybercrime reports submitted via ecrime.ae .
Lt. Gen. Al Marri also urged the public to participate and interact with the campaigns organised by Dubai Police to spread awareness on the risks posed by narcotics and other psychotropic substances that threaten future generations and to report suspicious activities or drug-related information to the Dubai Police Call Centre 901.
