A central figure of a transnational organised crime syndicate involved in trafficking and smuggling cocaine from South America to Europe has been arrested in Dubai.
Dubai Police said in a media statement that they were informed in June last year that the man was living in the emirate but did not reveal his name, nationality or age.
A joint investigation involving Dubai Police and authorities in France, Spain and Colombia revealed how members of the gang had set up a number of shell companies to launder several million euros during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Investigators discovered the gang was behind an attempt to smuggle 12 tonnes of tobacco into Belgium in August 2021.
They were also behind an attempt to smuggle 600 kilograms of cocaine into Spain but the drugs were confiscated in September 2021 by Colombian authorities.
An attempt was also made to smuggle 22 tonnes of sugar mixed with cocaine from Colombia to France, the drugs were seized in Thiais, near Paris, after the shipment had been unloaded at Le Havre port.
Following months of investigations and surveillance across three continents, 18 gang members were arrested in a synchronised raids in France, Dubai and Spain on May 5.
One member of the gang was arrested in Dubai while 10 other members were arrested in Paris. Seven more suspects were taken into custody in Madrid and Barcelona in a sting operation code-named “Canne a Sucre” — “sugarcane” in English.
Working on the case, Dubai Police said it had exchanged information with several European countries, the UK and the US.
Lt Gen Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, chief of Dubai Police, praised the efforts of the team from the General Department of Criminal Investigations, who located, tracked and arrested the man.
“This is another achievement of the fruitful co-operation between Dubai Police and international law enforcement agencies in ensuring the world's security and safety and tackling transnational organised crime,” he said.
Stephanie Cherbonnier, inspector general and director of Anti-Narcotics in France, praised Dubai Police's swift response and said it played an exceptional role in investigating and catching the suspect.
Dubai Police's K9 missions in 2021 - in pictures
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Mamo Year it started: 2019 Founders: Imad Gharazeddine, Asim Janjua Based: Dubai, UAE Number of employees: 28 Sector: Financial services Investment: $9.5m Funding stage: Pre-Series A Investors: Global Ventures, GFC, 4DX Ventures, AlRajhi Partners, Olive Tree Capital, and prominent Silicon Valley investors. THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
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