Sharjah Police have dismantled an international drug trafficking network operating between Canada and Spain in a security operation that extended from Toronto to Spanish ports and UAE shores.
Authorities confiscated a maritime shipment containing 131 kilograms of narcotics and psychoactive substances and arrested seven suspects within the UAE.
Among those arrested was an Arab national who used his wife and two children as a front for his smuggling activities, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
International drug network dismantled by Sharjah Police in Canada-Spain-UAE operation
The investigation began when authorities observed an Arab individual repeatedly entering the UAE with his family.
Monitoring his activities and meetings with local contacts revealed and captured the members of the network. Anti-narcotics teams executed ambushes to apprehend the suspects.
The main suspect admitted to playing a role in the smuggling operation, working alongside his wife and using “geo-location drops” to conceal and distribute the drugs.
As the investigation progressed, five suspects of Asian nationality were apprehended. Evidence established their participation in receiving, promoting, and distributing the narcotics within the same network.
Intelligence reports revealed a maritime smuggling route linking the Port of Toronto in Canada to Malaga in Spain, eventually reaching a UAE port.
Authorities intercepted a shipment hidden in a container filled with auto spare parts, registered under one of the suspects’ names.
The total seizure included 131 kilograms of narcotics and psychoactive substances, along with 9,945 capsules of controlled medication, as well as tools and devices used for promotion and geolocation concealment.
The arrested individuals were referred to the judicial authorities. The Ministry of Interior, in coordination with foreign counterparts, continues to pursue other network operatives abroad, taking legal steps to dismantle the international extension of the ring.
Brigadier Majid Sultan Al Asam, Director of Anti-Narcotics at Sharjah Police, stated that counter-narcotics teams are highly prepared and skilled in addressing drug threats. He highlighted that the UAE’s initiatives are part of a comprehensive national strategy that prioritizes this crucial issue.
Brigadier Abdulrahman Al Owais, Deputy Director-General of Federal Drug Control and Chair of the Anti-Narcotics Trafficking Committee, announced that the Ministry of Interior is finalising arrangements with international agencies to target external elements. He commended the smooth collaboration among UAE law enforcement agencies, which has placed the country at the forefront of global security rankings.
