Officials from the Ministry of Interior and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), at the ministry yesterday, signed an agreement to this effect.

The agreement, also catering to enhancing bilateral cooperation on drugs tracking and drug-related crimes, was signed by Major-General Saif Abdullah Al Shaafar, Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Interior for Security Affairs and Mohammed Abdul Aziz, Regional Representative of UNODC. Senior government officials attended the signing ceremony.

The office, expected to be operational within the next three months, will operate under the Cairo-based UN regional Office on Drugs and Crime. The UAE Ministry of Interior also paid an additional $50,000 as a contribution to the UN anti-narcotics programme.

"Although the UAE is used by drug traffickers as a route to other destinations, its strict policy to combat the menace of drug-tracking has won it international praise, thanks to the directives of Major-General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior," said Maj.-Gen. Shaafar.

Addressing a Press gathering shortly after signing the agreement, Maj.-Gen. Shaafar said the opening of the sub-regional office would bolster the anti-narcotic efforts of the UAE and indeed those of the AGCC states and the region at large.

The office will boost national and regional efforts by providing consultancy services, training and information sharing. It will coordinate national anti-drugs strategies and integrate those strategies into the comprehensive global programme. The office will also be tasked with coordinating anti-drugs efforts amongst the country's agencies concerned. The sub-regional office will also oversee the national awareness drive in the country in conjunction with relevant authorities.

Maj.-Gen. Shaafar said the UAE succeeded in handling some 4,774 drugs cases during the period from 1999 to September 2004, involving 7,611 people from various nationalities.

"Drug quantities confiscated during this period weighed 18,771 kilograms of hashish, 431 kg of heroin and 111 kg of opium. The UAE also enhanced its regional and international efforts, resulting in 14 controlled-delivery cases during the same period," he noted.

By foiling these attempts, the authorities prevented delivery of large quantities of drugs. The operations resulted in the netting of the trafficking gangs in other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen, Pakistan, Iran, Australia, Canada and Holland.

"The total quantity of the confiscated drugs reached 19,442 kg of cannabis and 50 kg of heroin. Joint international Controlled delivery efforts resulted in the meeting of gangs in at least 12 cases with cooperation with Oman, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia," he pointed out.

Maj.-Gen. Shaafar said the second aspect of the UAE anti-narcotic strategy revolved on reducing the demand for drugs. The country has been conducting this strategy through increased awareness in the society, including incorporating awareness material in the school textbooks.

"Rehabilitation of addicts is another area which we focus on. This is in addition to the UAE legislation, which is quite deterrent to the traffickers and consumers. Addicts who chose to give up the habit are not penalised by the law, They are rather rehabilitated and integrated into the mainstream society."

For his part, Aziz praised the UAE efforts to combat drugs, saying it was one of the best examples in the world even when compared to advanced countries.

Factory shutdown

ABU DHABI — UAE authorities have recently shut down a factory for manufacturing psychotropic substances in the country, a senior official of the Ministry of Interior said yesterday.

Lt-Colonel Abdulla Al Bedaiwi, Director of the Anti-Drugs Department at the ministry, told reporters yesterday that the factory was closed down soon after it started production. However, he did not specify as to where was the site of the factory.