UAE President Issues Decree-Law To Establish The National Anti-Narcotics Agency

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a decree-law to establish a new federal entity called the National Anti-Narcotics Agency; a dedicated body tasked with strengthening the nation's fight against drug-related crimes.

The newly established agency, which will be chaired by Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, will replace the General Department of Anti-Narcotics in the Ministry of Interior and is an independent federal entity affiliated to the UAE Cabinet.

"This step aims to strengthen the national ecosystem for combating narcotics, and unify the federal and local effort in this regard, to ensure the safety of the UAE community and its members," the government said in a statement on Sunday.

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Mandates

The establishment of the agency underlines how UAE is steadfast in applying a zero-tolerance policy with drug-related crimes. In its statement, the government outlined the specific mandates of the new federal entity and they are as follows:

• Tackling drug trafficking by tracking and dismantling smuggling and distribution networks, coordinating with security and judicial authorities to ensure offenders are brought to justice in accordance with the nation's laws.

• Developing and refining public policies, legislation, and strategies related to combating narcotics and the emerging crime patterns associated with them.

• Establishing the necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks, submitting them to the Cabinet for approval, ensuring alignment with international best practices and addressing the evolving challenges in this field.

• Coordinating with the relevant national entities to monitor, inspect, and track individuals, goods, and transportation at land, sea, and air entry points, in accordance with its authority and the applicable laws.

• Proposing and establishing regulations and conditions for handling "chemical precursors" used for non-medical purposes. This includes developing licensing mechanisms, trading and storage conditions, and customs clearance procedures

• Creating and managing a national centralized database, accessible to all federal and local entities working on combating narcotics in the UAE.

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