(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) More than half a billion dirhams worth of drugs have been seized by international anti-narcotics agents with help from Dubai Police, in the biggest drug haul in the world this year.
The Dubai Police General Department of Anti-Narcotic helped foil an attempt to smuggle Dh500 million worth of crystal methamphetamine and Dh3.5 million worth of hashish, leading to the arrest of 10 Balochi and Iranian suspects.
The operation took place in the international waters of the Indian Ocean, 360 kilometres off the coast of Somalia.
During a Press conference held in the presence of Dubai Police General Department of Anti-Narcotics Director Major General Abdul Jalil Mahdi; Dubai Police Deputy Commander-in-Chief Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazina said the major operation confirmed the effectiveness of the UAE's officials through its contribution in combating large international drug smuggling rings in the Indian Ocean.
The process was fulfilled in various stages under the follow-up of Lt. General Shaikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and Dubai Police Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, he said.
The operation, which actually took place in June, was top quality in terms of cooperation and coordination with the international authorities, he said. The operation began in the UAE when the Anti-narcotic Department obtained important information that a fishing vessel had left a Pakistani port for Djibouti, containing a large shipment of narcotic substances, where it intended to transfer drugs to another ship in a specific place in the waters of the Indian Ocean.
The Dubai Police determined the exact location and passed details to international coalition forces.Al Mazina said a working group was formed including a number of Ministry of Interior and Dubai Police drug officers, which continued to liaise with officials up to the raid.
Al Mazina said international coalition forces intercepted the ship, and raided it before discovery the drugs, which led to the arrest of the 10. On the first day, they confiscated 350kg of hashish. However on the second day, the police were passed information that there were more drugs, so forces searched again and discovered 500kg of crystal amphetamine hidden behind the engines of the ship.
Al Mazina said the commander of operations of the naval forces of the international coalition expressed their gratitude to Dubai Police for their cooperation, and the good efforts in passing on the information which led to the success of the operation.
Al Mazina described the seizure as a big blow to the drug traffickers of the world. He said the use of the Indian Ocean as a smuggling route reflected the importance of the big role played by the UAE in the fight against drugs not only locally and regionally, but globally as well.
"Dubai police have sources and keep eyes every where to catch and strike drugs traffickers and criminals."
Al Mazina said countries would cooperate to prevent illegal trading at sea and if security forces had reasonable doubts, they would raid ships that had no flags. Because the operation did not take place in the UAE regional waters, the suspects would not be tried here, Al Mazina said.
"The suspects under arrest will be handed over to the Asian country from where they came from in accordance with international sea laws."
Al Mazina said details had not been revealed earlier due to certain circumstances including requests from the countries involved.
He praised efforts of all parties locally and internationally who participated in the operation, with a special mention to his team.
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