International drug gang arrested in Dubai, 20kg heroin seized

Dubai Police have arrested an international drug gang and seized more than 20 kilograms of heroin from their possession, revealed the force's Commander-in-Chief, Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri.
Maj-Gen Al Marri said the gang, which smuggled drugs into the country through commercial ships, was arrested in an operation carried out by a joint team of officers from the General Department of anti-narcotics and the General Department of Criminal Investigations in Dubai Police.
Major General Khalil Ibrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant commander-in-chief for criminal investigations at Dubai Police, said the gang included five members: A European, African, and three Asians from a neighbouring county.
Maj-Gen Al Mansouri added that police intel proved that the three men had been preparing for the operation at their homeland for nearly four months.
'The men arrived individually and at different times through Dubai International Airport after they had smuggled the heroin through sea.'
'They took separate accommodation which reflect their high skills in deception and experience in smuggling and organized crime.' Maj-Gen Al Mansouri added.
For his part, Brigadier Eid Mohammed Thani Harib, Director of the General Department of Anti-narcotics , said that according to information provided on the first suspect, the European had entered the state several days before via the Hatta border crossing , but he was not carrying any illegal items.
However, he later started communicating with one of the suspects who had a large quantity of heroin for sale.
Accordingly, a group of search, investigation and raiding officers acted immediately to arrest the suspect. The officer in charge of the group assigned one undercover officer to negotiate with the suspect and purchased 2,200 grams of heroin. After completing the handover and delivery at one of the parking lots at the hotel where the accused was staying, a force raided his room caught him red-handed.
Similarly, the second defendant who was present at the same place at that moment was also arrested by the raid force for his criminal role in this operation. The second suspect was seen leaving a plastic bag with the some quantity of heroin, when he handed it over to the first defendant, who watched closely and with great caution.
During the search of second suspect's residence, members of the anti-narcotics team found more than 18kg of heroin in plastic bags and 17 heroin rolls inside the closet.
The other three defendants were arrested for their criminal roles in planning, smuggling and promoting of narcotics.
All defendants were referred to judicial authorities to receive a fair punishment for their crime, after they confessed to the charges.
Brigadier Eid Hareb thanked the Dubai Police's officers, and praised their  efforts in the process that led to their success.

• Dubai