Dubai thwarts bid to smuggle and distribute 278,850 drug pills

Dubai Customs, in coordination with the General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police, thwarted an attempt to smuggle and distribute 278,850 tablets of Pregabalin, which is classified as a narcotic substance, weighing approximately 200 kilogrammes.

The operation began when advanced cargo data analysis programmes at Dubai Customs identified an incoming shipment from an Asian country which raised suspicions, so the customs team initiated meticulous inspection procedures, resulting in the seizure of 150,600 tablets of Pregabalin.

Direct coordination then took place with the General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police to complete follow-up and investigation operations. The joint security efforts resulted in the arrest of a gang consisting of four suspects inside the UAE, who were found in possession of an additional 128,250 tablets of the same narcotic substance, to bring the total seizures to 278,850 tablets, with an estimated weight of about 200 kilogrammes.

Brigadier Khalid Bin Muwaiza, Director of the General Department of Anti-Narcotics at the Dubai Police stated: The continuous coordination with Dubai Customs enabled us to complete the security operation, track down the gangsters, arrest them, and seize the additional quantity of narcotic tablets.

Yasser Al Musallami, Lead Consultant of Customs Affairs at Dubai Customs, said that the continuous successes in thwarting drug smuggling attempts confirm the high readiness of Dubai Customs in protecting entry points, as it serves as the first line of defence for community security.

Rashid Bin Harb Al Shamsi, Director of the Customs Intelligence Department at Dubai Customs, emphasised that this achievement reflects the continuous development in the customs work system, which relies on the latest artificial intelligence technologies, data analysis, and smart risk engines, alongside advanced customs intelligence capabilities capable of early targeting of high-risk shipments, thereby increasing seizure efficiency and enhancing community security and safety.

Protecting society is not limited to inspection at entry points, but begins with building proactive programmes based on risk assessment and utilising the latest technologies, which places Dubai Customs at the forefront of global entities in border protection and facilitating legitimate trade at the same time, Al Shamsi added.