Abu Dhabi Police managed on Tuesday afternoon, to foil an attempt to sell a 400 Kg drug shipment of hashish, involving two truck drivers who were planning to export the shipment to a neighboring country.
Brigadier Omair Al Muhairi, Deputy Director of Police Operations at Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, called the operation upon its success, 26 × 6. The operation coincided with the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking that falls on the 26 of June of every year.
“While concerned entities at the Ministry of Interior, along with the Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, were celebrating the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the drug enforcement agents at the Criminal Investigation Department of Abu Dhabi Police managed to arrest the gang and seized the drug shipment,” he said.
Brigadier Al Muhairi presented this achievement to the police leadership and stressed that the watchful eyes will always be alert to protect the homeland and will also be on the lookout for anyone who allows himself to violate the laws that protect the society against the drug epidemic. He pointed out that the operation had a special peculiarity as it coincides with the country’s celebration for the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
For his part, Colonel Dr Rashid Borshid, Head of the Organized Crime Section at the Criminal Investigation Department of Abu Dhabi Police General Headquarters, estimated the market price of the seized shipment to around 4 million Dirham (as a wholesale price), noting that if it were to be sold in retail, the price would amount to four times more, i.e 16 million Dirham.
Borshid continued: “The team carried out the operation cleverly and managed to arrest the gang members and seize the drugs”. He added that the case goes back to information received a while back, about two persons planning to sell and export a huge amount of hashish.
“The gang members were identified as two Asians, A.M (43 years) and D.F (30 years), working as truck drivers. The tracking, searching and investigating process went on for a long period of time,” he added.
Colonel Borshid went on to say: “Abu Dhabi Police arrested the gang in the capital, following the proper legal procedures. The two gang members resisted arrest during the airtight ambush, and 400 Kgs of Hashish was seized.”
He pointed out that half of the drug amount was discovered in well wrapped cardboard boxes somewhere in Abu Dhabi; while the remaining amount was seized in cooperation with Dubai police, at a rented house in Dubai used as hideout and warehouse.
Colonel Borshid explained that the drugs seized in Abu Dhabi were packed in a complex way in plastic and metal wrappings inside cardboard boxes; 100 grams in each box. While the drugs found in Dubai were hidden in plastic barrels, to be emptied later into boxes, and re-shipped outside the country.
Colonel Ibrahim Al Zaabi, head of the Anti-Narcotics Department at the Criminal Investigation Department of Abu Dhabi Police, explained: “Despite the difficulty of the operation, the team was able to deal efficiently with the situation, due to its experience and cleverness. The team members used all the field skills they acquired and managed to approach the suspects unnoticed. As a result, the gang was arrested and the drug shipment, which was on its way to a neighboring country, was seized.”
Al Zaabi concluded by saying: “The gang took advantage of the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking to carry out their criminal operation, while the state and police personnel were celebrating the event. Yet, we proved that we are up to the challenge, and that will never be distracted from fighting and arresting them.”