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905 infiltrators arrested in raid

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ABU DHABI — Security agencies rounded up 905 infiltrators in different parts of the country last month, said an official source at the Ministry of Interior.

Published: Thu 9 Dec 2004, 11:39 AM

Updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 1:24 PM

  • By
  • Muawia E. Ibrahim

In their bid to crack down on illegal immigrants, the security agencies, using the state-of-the-art eye-scanning technology, have also foiled 23,000 attempts by foreigners who tried to re-enter the country after being banned. This was a result of a staggering 1.5 trillion iris screening tests conducted by the police since the introduction of the technology around two years ago.

The infiltrators were arrested between November 1 and 30, the source said.

Giving a break-up of the statistics, he said Abu Dhabi Police arrested 350 infiltrators in Abu Dhabi and Shahama. Dubai police arrested 406. Special Security Forces rounded up 123. Besides, 10 were arrested in Umm Al Quwain, seven in Ajman, six in Sharjah and three in Fujairah.

According to the source, those arrested were from different nationalities including Iranians, Pakistanis, Afghans, Bangladeshis, Indians and Arabs. Pakistanis topped the list with 469 followed by Bangladeshis 259, Afghans 112, Indians 32, Iranians 23 and Arabs 14 — including 11 Yemenis, two Omanis and one Iraqi. Dubai Police also arrested one Ethiopian infiltrator.

According to Lt-Col Ahmed Nassir Al Raesi, Director of Information Technology (IT), Department of Abu Dhabi Police, the eye-scanning technology has proved successful.

He said the system, which had been fitted by the Ministry of Interior at the country's airports, border and sea exit points helped to detect this large number of violators who were attempting to re-enter the country on fake or new travel documents after getting their original passports stamped with the six-month ban.

He said since the procedure was introduced, those who were refused entry into the country included banned foreigners who returned with new travel documents with different data from their previous passports details. They were caught at several entry points and returned to their home countries.

He said the UAE had taken the lead in introducing the eye-scanning as the system has been introduced at all entry points.

Lt-Col Raesi said the system provides Abu Dhabi Police with many advantages including curbing fraud, impersonation and return of foreigners banned from entering the country or illegal departure of black listed foreigners.



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