“Desert Fox” arrests 3 dangerous people in the drug trade

The anti-narcotics departments in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, in cooperation with the rapid intervention teams, arrested a gang consisting of three Emiratis with a history of drug trade and smuggling, before they carried out an operation to distribute 25 kilograms of narcotic hashish.

Director of the General Department of Narcotics Control at Dubai Police, Major General Abdul Jalil Mahdi Al-Asmawi, said that the operation was called “Desert Fox” because it took place in the desert.

He explained that “Desert Fox” began in early August, when information was received indicating that the first accused in the operation, named (H.S.), would deliver a quantity of drugs to an unknown person near the Al-Faqa area on September 5th.

Al-Asmawi added that the investigations of the police officers revealed that the first accused is an Emirati in his fifties, a dangerous international trader and smuggler, who resides in the city of Al-Ain, and has a barn near the town of Al-Faqa’ in Dubai, which he ostensibly uses to raise livestock, but in reality it is a focus from which he carries out his activities in… Drug trade.

He pointed out that he had previously been arrested by the specialized anti-drug agencies in Saudi Arabia, and was sentenced on December 26, 1997 to 20 years in prison, in addition to 2,000 lashes, on charges of bringing and importing narcotic substances into the Kingdom.

Al-Asmawi indicated that the work team immediately went to the place prepared to carry out the operation, and observed the accused entering the desert, heading his car to a location near a tree, extracting a bag buried in the sand, then returning towards Al-Faqa’, pointing out that it later became clear that the bag contained a large number of From rectangular molds of marijuana.

He continued that another team monitored the accused after he left the place and spotted him throwing the bag containing the drugs near a tree located on the public road. Then he met a man for a short time and left, while the other man picked up the bag and left, heading to the city of Al Ain.

He explained that the work team checked with the central administration of the operation regarding developments, and took a decision to continue the ambush until the first accused returned to the site from which he obtained the bag and was caught red-handed, which necessitated spending the night in the desert.

Al-Asmawi stated that due to the requirements for flexible and rapid movement in the operation, and the difficult desert environmental conditions, the ambush force was reinforced with a support unit from the Dubai Police Rapid Intervention Squad, which took over the pursuit of the accused upon his return and arrested him in the middle of the desert, after he tried to endanger the lives of policemen.

He continued that the work team continued its efforts after the arrest of the first accused, and coordinated with the Anti-Narcotics Department of the Sharjah Police, which in turn summoned a group of the Rapid Intervention Force to arrest a second accused, called (F.J.M.), known for his criminal delinquency and danger, and to surprise him inside his car. By the joint security forces in the Emirate of Sharjah, a pistol prepared for use was found in his possession.

The accused, in his forties, is an Emirati businessman residing in the Emirate of Sharjah. He is known to be a dangerous activist in drug trade and smuggling, and has a criminal record. An arrest warrant was issued for him in the Sultanate of Oman in July 2000 on charges of drug trade and smuggling, and on 31 In July 2001, the court in Amman sentenced him in absentia to 10 years in prison and a fine of 15,000 Omani riyals.

The accused was also arrested in November 2003 by the Lebanese authorities on charges of drug smuggling. He admitted at that time that he had entered Lebanon several times with a forged Pakistani passport. He was convicted by the Lebanese judiciary to five years in prison and a fine of 50 million Lebanese pounds. The competent authorities in the Emirates took over his recovery from the authorities. Lebanon in 2005, in accordance with existing agreements between the two countries in this regard, and the fact that the accused was wanted in several criminal cases.

He added that the second accused admitted that he was supplying the first accused with drugs, and that he handed him about 25 kilograms of hashish to promote it, and that he was in constant contact and coordination with one of the dealers residing in Pakistan.

Al-Asmawi explained that the intelligence information available to the administration led to the arrest of the third accused (S.A.S.), who met the first accused and obtained a bag of drugs from him, in cooperation with Abu Dhabi Police. During a search of his car, a kilogram of hashish that he had purchased as a sample from the first accused was found.

He stated that the third accused is an Emirati in his thirties, works for a government agency, resides in the city of Abu Dhabi, and is known for his drug activities. Investigations confirmed that he intended to buy a quantity of drugs from the first accused.

He continued that the three defendants were referred to the competent authorities to take legal measures against them, after the first and second were charged with possession of narcotic substances and psychotropic substances, and promoting them, while the third was charged with possessing narcotic substances and psychotropic substances, promoting them, and being suspected of using them.

Al-Asmawi confirmed that the operation witnessed advanced performance in terms of cooperation and coordination between more than one anti-narcotics agency in the country, and the intelligence aspect of monitoring and exchanging information was prominent.

In addition, the Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department at the Sharjah Police General Command, Colonel Ali Salem Al Khayal, said that the important note in the operation is that all the accused are Emirati, which requires dealing strictly with people like them, given the danger they pose to society.

While the Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department in Abu Dhabi, Colonel Ibrahim Al Zaabi, attributed the success of Operation “Desert Fox” to cooperation between the relevant security agencies involved in terms of exchanging information, planning, implementation, monitoring and follow-up by all parties of the current developments.

He considered that the “Desert Fox” is an important indicator for the relevant security authorities, which requires expanding cooperation and thinking about developing general and comprehensive strategies that meet the requirements of work in the field of drug control.