UAE Busts International Drug Smuggling Ring With 17Kg Cocaine

Sharjah Police have busted an international drug smuggling ring that atempted to smuggle 17kg of cocaine into the UAE.

Two accused attempted to bring more than 12kg of cocaine into the nation for distribution. Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority conducted precise monitoring, tracked suspicious movements, and rapidly responded to gather information and coordinated effectively with the police command.

Brig. Majid Sultan Al Asem, Director of the Directorate of Drug Prevention and Control, said that the operation resulted in the arrest of the main smuggler, an Asian national, upon his arrival in the UAE via a Gulf country.

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Two African nationals who were set to receive the shipment in the country were also caught red-handed.

He explained that investigations and search and surveillance efforts, in cooperation with the National Centre for Early Information, enabled the specialised teams to identify the details of another passenger of the same nationality who was travelling from one Gulf country to another through one of the UAE's airports.

In under two hours, the National Drug Control Authority relayed the suspect's information and the method used to conceal the narcotics to the destination country, which successfully seized approximately 5kg of cocaine.

Al Asem praised the joint efforts that contributed to dismantling this international scheme, stressing that the professional work and high accuracy in monitoring the data and movements of the network members helped in seizing both operations within a record time.

This clearly reflects the efforts of the National Drug Control Authority and the Sharjah Police General Command in strengthening community protection systems, combating drug-smuggling networks, and enhancing integrated security cooperation with local, federal, and international entities.

Sharjah Police affirmed that foiling the two operations within a short period of time demonstrates the efficiency of the emirate's security system, as well as the high level of coordination between the concerned authorities and the ongoing efforts aimed at protecting society from the harm of drugs.

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