Abu Dhabi Police thwart drug smuggling attempt, arrest two in ‘preemptive operation’

Police in Abu Dhabi have arrested two Arab men who were caught with narcotic pills and attempting to smuggle the drugs to a neighbouring country.

Brigadier Taher Ghareeb Al Dhaheri, director of the Anti-Narcotics Directorate in the Criminal Security Sector at Abu Dhabi Police said on Tuesday that the force investigated a tip-off about the pair and kept them under surveillance before making the arrests.

He noted that one of the men who was running the drug operations from outside the country travelled to the UAE to complete his mission of smuggling the drugs to a neighbouring nation, which failed.

“The drug dealers didn’t have any idea that police were monitoring all their operations,” said Al Dhaheri.

He pointed out that the main suspect was shocked when a team of anti-drug officers arrived to arrest him and his accomplice while in the possession of narcotic pills as they negotiated to execute the drug deal.

“The men thought they had chosen the right time and place to complete their desperate attempt to smuggle the drugs,” said Al Dhaheri.

Police said the suspects tried to use a new method of smuggling by hiding the narcotic pills in the form of rolls inside the garbage bags.

During interrogation, the men admitted that the narcotic pills belonged to them and that they were planning to smuggle the drugs to a neighbouring country.

The pair has been referred to the public prosecution to be charged.

Al Dhaheri has stressed the keenness of Abu Dhabi Police to combat the drug scourge.

Police urged people to report any suspicious activity to officers.