Captagon smugglers arrested

Police catch two Emiratis trying to enter the country with almost 9,000 stimulant tablets in their car.

Powered by automated translation

ABU DHABI // Police reminded would-be drug smugglers that they are armed with an array of tools to find illegal substances, when they revealed they caught two Emiratis trying to enter the country with almost 9,000 tablets in their car. The arrests were made at Al Ghuwaifat on the Saudi border. The drugs - said to be the stimulant Captagon - were found under the gearbox and in the boot of the vehicle, police said.

Col Maktoum al Shareefi, director of the CID, said the anti-drugs section had received an anonymous tip that an Emirati, SH, 32, would be crossing the border with a load of the tablets. In a thorough search of the vehicle co-ordinated with Abu Dhabi Customs, officers found 40 pills hidden under the gearbox and another 8,740 in the boot, in envelopes marked "special offer". Police also found an envelope containing Dh42,000 (US$11,440).

Col al Shareefi said SH had told police the 40 pills were for his personal use but had denied having anything to do with the rest. His companion, AA, 21, had admitted selling Captagon for SH in exchange for two pills per deal. Both men had also tested positive for AMvitamin, an ingredient of Captagon, and had been referred to prosecutors. A subsequent search of AA's home turned up an unlicensed firearm and 20 rounds of ammunition.

hdajani@thenational.ae