Dubai Customs foils bid to smuggle 3 million drug pills

Dubai - Late in September 2020, the Abu Dhabi Police arrested a four-member gang of Asians trying to sell 573,000 Captagon pills.

Dubai Customs has foiled an attempt to smuggle three million Captagon pills, the largest drug seizure this year so far.

Yousef Al Hashimi, director of Sea Customs Centres Management, said the inspection officers at Jebel Ali Port pounced on the illegal shipment in coordination with different divisions of the department as well as by using the best technologies.

"The control room, supported by Siyaj monitoring unit, analysed the entire data of the suspected container, and based on it, the consignment was thoroughly checked on arrival with the help of the K-9 dog unit."

"All the customs centres are well prepared and work at full capacity despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic," he pointed out.

Ahmed Juma Al Jamri, senior manager of Jebel Ali and Tecom Inspection Centre, said they strictly follow coherent and flawless plans and strategies to detect, reveal and seize narcotics.

"The inspection officers do their job professionally, relying on their high experience and knowledge and using the advanced technologies.”

He explained that narcotic Captagon pills is the brand name of the amphetamine drug fenethylline hydrochloride.

"It was originally marketed as a treatment for conditions like narcolepsy, depression and hyperactivity, but has been banned in most countries since the 1980s."

Late in September 2020, the Abu Dhabi Police arrested a four-member gang of Asians trying to sell 573,000 Captagon pills across the country. The arrests were carried out as part of the operation codenamed 'Watching Eyes'.

Also, in June last year, the UAE Ministry of Interior announced having foiled a series of attempts to smuggle 25 million Captagon pills, worth Dh1.3 billion, into the country.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai