Al-Emarat Al-Youm has monitored the spread of advertisements in the form of comments on social media pages, promoting the sale of narcotic substances electronically, which confirms that the promotion is no longer limited to messages from unknown numbers sent via chat applications, such as “WhatsApp” or “Telegram”, but has extended to comment boxes on photos and opinions published on public websites.
Users wrote phrases promoting types of drugs, with contact numbers, noting that they provide a delivery service to any location.
On the other hand, specialists confirmed that some people misuse social media and use it in criminal activities such as promoting drugs, explaining that the UAE law has confronted them with imprisonment and fines.
In detail, the Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, said that the relevant authorities in the country are following up on those involved in the electronic promotion of drugs, by tracking them down and confronting them, pointing out that “despite the important positive aspects of the development of technology, some people misuse it in destructive behaviors.”
Major General Al Shamsi told Al-Emarat Al-Youm that the mechanism of electronic drug promotion gives the dealer the opportunity to move from one community to another, because he is out of sight, and thus he implicates the buyer or user, after he goes himself to receive the drugs he wants to buy, as he automatically becomes an accused.
He pointed out that the main reason behind the involvement of addicts is their entry into the “pathological aspect” associated with drug addiction, as the addict engages in any practices that make him lose control of himself and push him to fall into the circle of accusation.
He stressed that through monitoring and observing the phenomenon of drug promotion, it became clear that the preoccupation of some parents with their children, whether with divorce or work, makes children fall victim to the clutches of drug dealers, such that the teenager begins to experiment, then is led down that dark path, calling on parents to take greater care of their children and follow them up all the time, and pay attention to any symptoms or different behaviors that appear on them, such as sleeping for long periods, losing weight, or suddenly increasing demands.
Major General Al Shamsi continued: “We have great efforts being made within the UAE at the level of various federal and local authorities to track down and arrest drug dealers, in light of the significant development of the relevant agencies and their reliance on the best modern technologies.” He pointed out that Sharjah Police recently thwarted an attempt to smuggle drugs that were hidden inside marble stones, where a gang run by dealers from outside the country was arrested.
For his part, the certified lecturer in drug prevention, Dr. Hamad Abdulrahman Al-Baqshi, said that electronic drug promotion appeared more during the Corona crisis, when the country’s ports, airports, air, land and sea ports were closed. Drug dealers – who are smart and highly educated – thought about electronic promotion and succeeded in doing so by the end of 2019. Some young people used to transfer large sums of money through ATMs and bank accounts, but the state was on the lookout for them and made great efforts to track them down and confront them.
He explained that promoters have databases of up to 3,000 people with random numbers, and when they send their promotional messages, 10 people from the list might respond to them, and then they benefit and profit from that.
He stressed that many families have been harmed by people in their 50s falling into addiction, not to mention young men and women between the ages of 16 and 25.
Al-Buqaishi continued: “The Ministry of Interior has begun to combat the electronic marketing of drugs, as it published a publication entitled (Join us to prevent it) on the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking in 2023, to encourage citizens and residents within the country to participate with the Ministry of Interior in preventing the electronic promotion of drugs.”
Based on this slogan, the Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with artificial intelligence and WhatsApp, works to track any promotional advertisement from inside or outside the country, and permanently closes the number with the information on it via satellite so that it cannot be transferred.
He revealed the closure of ATMs involved in suspicious transfers and the accountability of many employees, noting that there is coordination between the Central Bank and the Ministry of Interior to control the matter, even pharmacies, so that the medicine is dispensed based on the identity, then the dispensed medicine is recorded, to prevent the dispensing of medicines listed on the narcotics schedule.
Al-Buqaishi said: “We have a complete team in the Ministry of Interior for drug prevention, and we have published two awareness guides: the first is called ‘Parents’ Guide for Drug Prevention’, which we have published in homes and organised awareness lectures in schools and clubs. The second is called ‘School Environment for Drug Prevention’, and it is given to academics, teachers and safety officers in schools on how to pay attention to students who are using and promoting drugs.”
He stressed the importance of the family’s role in protecting children, so that if it is found that one of its members is using drugs, by following up on the symptoms and characteristics that appear on him, whether continuous sleep, clear weight loss, or psychological disturbance, immediate action is taken to prevent him from becoming more immersed.
In turn, family counselor Dr. Badriya Al Dhanhani said that parents have a pivotal role in protecting their children and educating them about the dangers of drugs. Therefore, families must be educated in terms of developing their skills to educate children about electronic advertisements and enable them to learn the mechanisms and methods of dealing with the phenomenon.
She added: “The world has become more connected than before, and children are now in direct contact with the world through social media platforms in all their forms, which provides opportunities to raise awareness of the danger of children being exposed to addiction or their desire to learn about what is forbidden. Therefore, conscious monitoring is necessary by instilling religious restraint and self-control in their souls, and raising awareness of the harms of drugs and the dangers of addiction.”
Al Dhanhani explained that happiness and positivity contribute to facing life’s pressures and enjoying it, so establishing positive values as a way of life in the Emirati society contributes to staying away from drugs. Choosing friends who enrich life with awareness and positive advice helps a person develop and stay away from problems and drug abuse.
She stressed that a cohesive family is one of the most important axes that plays a major role in protecting children from falling into the clutches of drug abuse, by instilling lofty values, principles and high morals, and strengthening the relationship with children, in addition to the fact that a healthy body and maintaining physical and psychological health are two important factors for the development of the individual and society.
Legal advisor Mohsen Al-Khabani said: “It is clear that the UAE legislator is keen to update the laws and legislation related to combating drugs to prevent this criminal behaviour.”
He said: “Even if criminal gangs innovate new methods of trafficking and promotion, such as electronic marketing via social media platforms, and try to reach the largest possible segment of society, the law remains a deterrent with the strict penalties it stipulates in this regard.”
He added that Article 31 of Federal Decree-Law No. (34) of 2021 regarding combating rumours and cybercrimes stipulates that the penalty for trafficking and promoting drugs and psychotropic substances is temporary imprisonment and a fine of no less than 500 thousand dirhams and no more than one million dirhams, or one of these two penalties.
The penalty shall be applied to anyone who creates, manages, or supervises a website, or publishes information on the Internet or any information technology means, to trade in or promote drugs, psychotropic substances, or the like, or how to use them, or to facilitate dealing in them in circumstances not permitted by law.
Dr. Badriya Al Dhanhani: A cohesive family is one of the most important aspects that play a major role in protecting children from falling into the clutches of drug abuse.
