UAE busts heroin smugglers gang with Pakistani cooperation

DUBAI: Security cooperation between the UAE and Pakistan has resulted in busting a dangerous regional trafficking and smuggling network and the arrest of over 40 traffickers as well as 80 drug addicts involved in the ring.

The network was run by Pakistani national Akil Khan from his premises in Peshawar and included more than 40 members who targeted citizens and residents of the UAE and its neighboring countries, the Ministry of Interior said here in a statement.

Colonel Saeed Abdullah Al Suwaidi, Director General, Anti-Narcotics Federal Directorate General at the Ministry of Interior, noted that a number of reports led to the arrest of the suspected promoters and abusers.

Investigations uncovered that they received drugs from a single source - from one exclusive distributor.

The gang leader would run his operations via phone from abroad after he recruited dozens of promoters in the UAE.

According to Suwaidi, a meticulous plan was worked out to capture the culprit and the operation resulted in the arrest of 40 traffickers and promoters, 80 drug addicts, and seizure of 150 kilograms of heroin.

Those arrested were working under the supervision of Khan who had served a prison sentence in Abu Dhabi in 2012 and was deported after finishing his sentence.

Khan expanded his criminal network over the past two years until it became a concern of security for the anti- narcotics departments in the UAE and neighboring countries.

Suwaidi said the operation passed through various stages of highly confidential joint security work, which resulted in the formation of a team in order to target the suspect in his home in Pakistan in coordination with the local authorities.

The operation led to the identification of his partners and accomplices within and outside of the UAE.

"Such efforts were successful and with the members behind bars, resulted in the dismantling of the criminal network and the process of treatment and rehabilitation for the victims of the crimes in a bid to alleviate the effects," he added.