Cocaine, heroin, crystal meth among 238 kilos of drugs seized by Dubai Police in 2023

Dubai Police confiscated 238 kilograms of drugs – including cocaine, heroin, crystal meth – and six million narcotic pills in the first quarter of 2023, new statistics show.

The narcotics seized also included opium, marijuana, and hashish, in addition to the narcotic pills.

For all the latest headlines follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Between January and March, the General Department for of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police apprehended almost half (47 percent) of suspects arrested for drug-related crimes in the UAE.

The announcement was made during a performance evaluation meeting of the General Department of Anti-Narcotics for Q1 2023, presided over by Lt. General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, and attended by senior police officials.

Statistics revealed that Dubai Police contributed to providing 65 vital pieces of information to various countries during Q1 2023, leading to the arrest of 65 suspects and seizure of 842 kilograms of drugs, including khat, cocaine, marijuana, and heroin.

“This underscores the Department's belief that the drug problem is transnational and requires international cooperation for its eradication,” a statement by the Dubai Police read.

During the same period, the Department succeeded in detecting and blocking 208 social media accounts promoting drugs, representing 28 percent of such accounts blocked nationwide.

In February, Al Arabiya English reported how Dubai Police rounded up a combined 28 suspects who were running drug rings with products worth $8.7 million (AED 32 million).

In a report published at the time, the drug traffickers were busted while attempting to promote 111 kilograms of various narcotics.

The first operation thwarted a three-member gang reportedly attempting to trade 99 kilograms of Captagon across the UAE, worth over $8.4 million (AED 31 million).

The trio were picked up in planned ambush.

The following operation saw the arrest of one suspect who reportedly promoted narcotics using an international mobile number. He was found in possession of 9.7 kilograms of crystal meth and tools used in filtering and manufacturing the drug.

The final operation targeted one person who reportedly used social media to promote the drugs. After locating and arresting the suspect, it led to the identification and arrest of 23 more individuals who were found to be in possession of heroin, crystal meth, and hashish.

Authorities in Dubai and the wider UAE routinely conduct missions and thwart drug dealing and smuggling in the country.

Read more:

Dubai drug bust: 28 suspects, 3 drug trafficking rings with products worth $8.7 mln

Dubai Police in cooperation with Europol bust cocaine ‘super-cartel’

Dubai Police seize 436 kilograms of illegal drugs smuggled in shipment of broad beans