(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

A man who used his wife and children as a cover for international drug trafficking operations has been arrested, as part of a major security operation led by Sharjah Police.

The arrest is part of a wider crackdown that resulted in the dismantling of an international criminal network smuggling narcotics from Canada and Spain into the UAE.

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Authorities seized a massive maritime shipment containing 131kg of narcotics and psychotropic substances, along with 9,945 narcotic capsules. The operation also led to the arrest of seven suspects, including a key Arab suspect who fronted as a family man to mask his criminal activities.

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According to the Ministry of Interior, the suspect was found to have frequently travelled to the UAE with his wife and children, using them to divert suspicion while conducting meetings with local operatives.

Anti-narcotics teams tracked his movements closely, ultimately leading to a series of strategic ambushes and arrests.

Upon interrogation, the man confessed to playing a key role in smuggling drugs in collaboration with his wife. The trafficking method involved "location-based sites" to conceal and distribute the narcotics within the country.

Further investigation led to the arrest of five other suspects of Asian nationalities involved in receiving, trafficking, and distributing the illicit substances.

Authorities also uncovered a sophisticated smuggling route stretching from the port of Toronto in Canada to Malaga in Spain, and finally to a UAE port, where a shipment concealed inside a container of car spare parts was intercepted.

The suspects have been referred to judicial authorities, while the Ministry of Interior continues to coordinate with international agencies to pursue the network's global extensions and take appropriate legal action.

As UAE authorities intensify their crackdown on international drug syndicates, coordination with global law enforcement continues to yield results.

In a separate case, Dubai Police arrested and extradited three Belgian nationals wanted for major cross-border crimes on Sunday, July 13.

They face a series of major criminal charges, including leading operating a notorious gang, trafficking narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, robbery, and human trafficking.

Dubai Police also recently arrested 15 individuals , including ten men and five women, involved in a drug trafficking ring that attempted to promote narcotics disguised as candy.

Authorities said the group possessed almost 50kg of drugs and 1,100 pieces of drug-laced sweets, with an estimated street value of Dh2.4 million. The sweets and chewing gum infused with narcotic and psycho-active substances were promoted under the guise of regular confectionery.

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