Police have arrested drug smugglers in possession of 52kg of heroin, cocaine and marijuana in three separate sting operations.
Officers from Dubai Police held nine men in two separate drug busts and an undisclosed number of suspects in a third.
Maj Gen Abdullah Al Merri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, said the operations took months of planning and undercover work by his anti-narcotics department.
“They were smuggling 14.4kg of heroin hidden inside a boat,” said Maj Gen Khalil Al Mansouri, in reference to the first operation.
“Some of them were arrested in Al Qusais area and the rest in Dubai Marina.”
Maj Gen Al Mansouri went on to detail the results of the second drugs bust in which three suspects were arrested.
He said all the men were caught red-handed in a Dubai shopping centre just as they received cash for 24.4kg of marijuana.
“The drugs were smuggled by their boss to be sold inside the country,” he said.
In a third operation, four members of a drug gang operating between South America, Asia and Africa were arrested as they were trying to finalise customs procedures at a Dubai port.
“Two others from the same gang were arrested entering the country from Dubai International Airport,” said Maj Gen Al Mansouri.
All three cases were referred to officials at the office of Dubai Public Prosecution.
