Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates - Saturday, May 3rd 2014 [ME NewsWire]

Colonel Saeed Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior, revealed that the Directorate managed in cooperation and coordination with the anti-drug units in Dubai and Sharjah, to seize 83,800 pills of the Iranian drug “Tramadol;” in two separate operations during the first quarter of this year.

He said that the first operation occurred after receiving reliable information confirming that two persons   were involved in receiving a quantity of narcotic tablets which were placed in one of the areas in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah to be smuggled to Dubai, in order to be traded in the UAE.

Colonel Al Suwaidi confirmed that good planning of the operation led to their arrest in Dubai after detaining the suspect with 23,800 pills of Tramadol drug. The investigations in the case revealed a third partner who was planning to receive part of the quantity.

“Another team from the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General is monitoring the paths and lines of drug smuggling and managed on February 12th to foil attempts to smuggle 60,000 pills of the same drug, by a wooden Iranian boat coming from the Port of Shah Bahar to Sharjah creek,” added Al Suwaidi. He also pointed out that the high level of security awareness and competency of the anti-narcotics officers enabled them to suspect the captain who admitted later that he attempted to smuggle that quantity to be traded in the UAE.

Moreover, Colonel Saeed Al Suwaidi noted that drug trading and trafficking are no longer limited to certain emirate or a specific geographical location, where the promoter and trader are now practicing their business across the UAE. He also indicated that despite the difference in the legal and judicial jurisdiction, the Ministry of Interior, represented by the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General, had faced this challenge through unified teams working around the clock in order to track and monitor those promoters and to set plans and ambushes based on collective action at the Federal level in order to arrest them red-handed while trying to trade and promote drugs.

Furthermore, the Director General of the Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General added: “The misuse of Tramadol tablets without medical supervision, unlike medical prescriptions issued by a licensed doctor involves a great danger; especially those that are smuggled from Iran since we don't know the criteria and conditions of their manufacturing. The drugs are also subject to weather conditions and high temperatures that exacerbate their risk. This was confirmed by our statistics which revealed that such drugs cause deaths of many addicts.” He also noted that 30% of the total suspects in drug crimes last year were involved in smuggling the Tramadol drug.

In addition, Al Suwaidi pointed out that the Ministry of Interior is working on enhancing its strategic partnership with the authorities and entities responsible for inspection missions in ports, through the development of inspection mechanisms to curb drug smuggling attempts to the UAE.

Concluding, Al Suwaidi appealed to parents to follow up with their children, strengthen control on their practices, meet their friends, talk with them about the dangers of narcotic and psychoactive drugs, notably Tramadol, and reveal that the promotions made by drug dealers and promoters are nothing but illusions and lies through which they aim at making money without paying attention to the damage such drugs cause to the health of the individual and his family as well. He also called upon parents to report any suspicious observation and to cooperate with the anti-drug units in each emirate, which will take all necessary measures in accordance with the laws of the UAE that guarantee the protection of parents and children from any legal accountability as a result of their cooperation.

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The Arabic-language text of this announcement is the official, authoritative version. Translations are provided as an accommodation only, and should be cross-referenced with the Arabic-language text, which is the only version of the text intended to have legal effect.

Contacts
The UAE Minister of Interior's General Secretariat, Tactical Affairs and Security Media Department
Abu Dhabi Police GHQ - Security Media
Chris Cron +971-(0)-50-987-1317
E-mail: cron.media@hotmail.com

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