DUBAI 5 December 2019: The General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police recently foiled a big international drug trafficking operation in Al Ras at Dubai Creek harbour in an operation dubbed ‘LiStah’.
‘LiStah’ – in Emirati dialect stands for the boat’s deck. It was carried out by Dubai Police’s Control and Investigation team in coordination with the General Department of Criminal Investigation, the General Department of Protective Security and Emergency and Dubai Customs.
Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, praised the efforts of all teams. He also lauded their investigative skills in collecting vital security information and carrying out a professional inspection of the seized dhows.
Smuggling Tactics
Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant Commandant for Criminal Investigation Affairs at Dubai Police, said the smugglers used different methods to hide drugs including modifying the structure of the first dhow.
“When the raid team boarded the boat, they found with the support of the of the Dubai Police specialized teams, large quantities of drugs hidden in different places between the wood panels under the deck of the boat, there were varieties of drugs including cannabis, crystal, opium, and heroin.” Maj-Gen Al Mansouri added.
Maj Gen Al Mansouri explained that members of the control and investigation team managed to arrest one of the gang members, who had entered the country as a visitor. “His real role was to receive drugs for storage and promotion among members of the community in the UAE. At his place, the suspect hid nine cylindrical plastic containers, containing large quantities of cannabis, crystal drugs and a scale.”
Maj-Gen Al Mansouri added that in conjunction with the raid on the first boat, “we were aware of another boat in the Dubai Creek marina with a number of sailors on board carrying a large quantity of drugs brought to the country for trafficking and promotion.
Suspects and Seizures
Colonel Khaled Ali Bin Moyeza, Deputy Director of the General Department of Anti-Narcotics, pointed out that 12 Asian national suspects have been arrested from the two gangs, who possessed 194 kg of drug-weight, which has been successfully seized.
“This operation was a severe and painful blow for all drug dealers”, he added.
ALSO READ:
