UAE busts international drug ring, arrests 20 in major operation

Abu Dhabi: The National Drug Enforcement Authority (NDEA), in cooperation with Ras Al Khaimah Police General Headquarters and the General Directorate for Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances at Iraq's Ministry of Interior, and in judicial coordination with the Federal Public Prosecution, has foiled an attempt to smuggle 200,000 Captagon pills and more than 30 kilograms of narcotics into the UAE.

The operation led to the arrest of an international criminal network comprising 20 suspects of Gulf, Arab, African and Asian nationalities.

In addition to the Captagon pills, the seized drugs included various quantities of cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, marijuana, hashish and Spice. The network had planned to smuggle the drugs into the country through a border area in Ras Al Khaimah before distributing them within the UAE.

The operation began with an exchange of intelligence between the relevant authorities in the UAE and Iraq, which uncovered a plot by a multinational criminal network to smuggle large quantities of drugs into the country.

Based on the intelligence, the National Drug Enforcement Authority, in cooperation with the relevant authorities, developed a comprehensive security plan that led to the interception of the smuggling operation.

Several members of the network were caught in possession of the drugs while attempting to smuggle them, while the remaining suspects were arrested inside the UAE through ambushes carried out by security teams.

The National Drug Enforcement Authority affirmed that the operation had dealt a major blow to drug smuggling and trafficking networks, stressing that there was no place for drug dealers on UAE soil and that anyone attempting to undermine the country's security or endanger the safety of its society would face justice.

The Authority explained that the success of the operation demonstrated the readiness of security agencies and their advanced capabilities in monitoring, investigation and tracking criminal networks.

It also highlighted the effectiveness of security and judicial cooperation and intelligence-sharing with regional partners in combating cross-border drug crimes.

The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to combating drugs and pursuing smuggling and trafficking networks.

It called on members of the public to cooperate with the relevant authorities and report any suspicious activities, emphasising that the partnership between the community and security agencies is a fundamental pillar in protecting society from the dangers of drugs.