UAE helps 55 countries arrest 549 drug traffickers

The UAE, in partnership with 55 other countries, have arrested 549 people accused of drug trafficking and also confiscated over 380 tonnes of drugs between 2018 and 2021, said a senior official on Wednesday.

Lt. Gen. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security in Dubai and Chairman of the Anti-narcotics Council, elaborated that the UAE has expanded its cooperation with other countries after establishing the Council to better fight drug trafficking.

Sharing examples, he revealed that the UAE, in partnership with the Chinese and Pakistani authorities, helped seize large quantities of drugs and arrested over a dozen drug traffickers.

“We have cooperated with the Chinese government to confiscate a ship in the sea carrying 5.1 tonnes of drugs and arrested six suspects. In cooperation with the Pakistani authorities, 14 drug dealers had been arrested in Pakistan for targeting the UAE in their drug trade and promotion activities. We are thankful to Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior and police for their collaboration,” he added.

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Aymeric Salamone, the regional law enforcement expert at UN Office on Drugs and Crime for the GCC region, said techniques and technologies used by drug traffickers enhance their capabilities; therefore, modern technologies need to be used by law enforcement agencies.

In addition, he stressed that social media is providing a platform for drug transactions. “Modern marketing techniques are being used to buy and sell drugs on some apps in Europe and even the region. We need to see what set of weaknesses we have in the system,” he added.

-waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE