March 16, 2011 

http://gulftoday.ae/portal/75a63f8d-19ae-4a35-bc60-25276f8dcd23.aspx

THE co-operation between the Dubai Police and the international security agencies have resulted in the arrest of an international gang of 16 persons.

They were involved in drug trafficking and money laundering in the UAE, Britain, Netherlands, South Africa, revealed Deputy General Commander of the Dubai Police, Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina.

“The gangsters possessed big quantities of drugs and money. They intended to smuggle the drugs from Surinam in Netherlands to South Africa then to Europe, using high technical equipment.”

Maj. Gen Al Mazeina unveiled the details of the “Shark Operation” in a press conference on Monday at the Dubai Police General Headquarters.

“The Dubai Police had received information about an international gang involved in drug trafficking and money laundering in the UAE, Britain, Netherlands, South Africa,” he said.

“Consequently an international team was assigned to pursue the gang. The operation continued for more than one year to identify the gang members and to foil their criminal activities.”

“On Dec.10 last year, the South Africa’s police arrested seven suspects and seized 316 kilogrammes of cocaine and 100,000 drug capsules,” said Maj. Gen Al Mazeina.

He added that on the same day the Netherlands authorities arrested three suspects with 637 kilogrammes of hashish, 524 kilogrammes of Marijuana, a firearm and an amount of cash equal to Dhs0.5 million.

“The same day the British authorities arrested two suspects and confiscated an amount equal to more than Dhs1.8 million.”

“On Dec.10 and 12 the Dubai Police arrested three of the suspects, the big boss called SA, an Asian, who has the nationality of a European country and South Africa, and two of his Asian assistants named MA and KA,” he added.

SA possessed a number of passports, 58 electronic devices for communication with the gang members and some cash. During investigation SA said that he would get 15 per cent of the money of the smuggled drugs.

“The police found that the SA had previously been  convicted in a drug case in a European country and was sentenced to five years in jail.”

Maj. Gen Al Mazeina further said that the three suspects have been referred to the public prosecution.

A fourth suspect was held on an arrest warrant from a European country. He was deported after making sure he had no criminal record in the UAE.

“This achievement is the result of co-ordination between authorities in the UAE, Britain, Netherlands and South Africa.”

“The Dubai Police foiled 39 drug cases in several countries around the world as a result of international co-operation,” he added.