GCC countries collaborate to seize 150kg of marijuana and millions of amphetamine pills

Drug smugglers took a major hit this year after more than 150 kilograms of marijuana and almost 3 million Captagon tablets were seized in joint GCC operations.

Anti-narcotics police from the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman foiled four operations and arrested 12 people during the first half of the year.

Abu Dhabi Police and Sharjah Police’s Anti-Narcotics Departments received information about the plots, resulting in “the execution of four controlled delivery operations in the past six months”, according to Lt Col Saeed Al Suwaidi, head of the federal anti-drug department at the Ministry of Interior.

Lt Col Al Suwaidi said three of the raids were carried out in co-operation with Saudi Arabian authorities and the fourth with Oman.

Col Taher Al Dhaheri, director of Abu Dhabi Police’s drug squad, said it was tipped off about a network of traffickers plotting to smuggle 50kg of hashish from Yemen to Oman through the UAE.

“The main suspect was arrested in a joint operation with Omani authorities while he was receiving the drugs,” Col Al Dhaheri said. “The man was found in possession of a gun, 31 bullets and Dh50,000, which he intended to pay to the people who delivered the drugs.”

Two other operations were carried out against a gang from an unspecified Arab country, who intended to smuggle a large amount of hashish and Captagon, a cheaply produced psycho-stimulant used and exported by extremists fighting in Syria, to Saudi Arabia through the UAE.

Lt Col Majid Al Asem, director of Sharjah Police’s drug squad, said 2.7 million Captagon pills were seized in the final operation, in which Saudi Arabia assisted.

In March, this year Lt Col Al Suwaidi said the amount of drugs seized in the UAE had almost tripled, while the number of drug-related criminal arrests more than doubled.

He said the increase was likely to be a result of political turmoil and security challenges that create loopholes in which criminals can flourish.