Sharjah Police seize Captagon pills and hashish worth Dh23.5m in twin raids

Sharjah Police thwarted a major drug plot aimed at selling three million Captagon pills and 120 kilograms of hashish with a combined value of Dh23.5m.

Officers seized the haul of drugs and made 24 arrests during raids carried out with the support of police forces across the Emirates.

Captagon is widely regarded as the most in-demand narcotic in the Middle East.

Millions of pills are intercepted by customs officials in the Gulf every month as the region continues operations against drug trafficking.

Criminal gangs from Bulgaria and Turkey are believed to have helped to introduce Captagon to the Middle East, where production has flourished in territory beyond the control of authorities in fragile states such as Syria and Lebanon.

Sharjah's anti-narcotics team took action after being alerted about the activities of two gangs operating under a criminal network known as the Black Bags.

They formed two task forces and set up plans to make arrests in two synchronised operations.

The first focused on tracking a group of Asian suspects while the other monitored a gang of Arab suspects who were planning to distribute narcotic pills across the country.

Sharjah Police have arrested 24 members of a criminal gang and seized 120kg of hashish and three million Captagon pills, valued at more than Dh23.5 million. Photo: Sharjah Police

“Acting on the intelligence, anti-drug agencies from Sharjah Police, Dubai Police General Command, and Ajman Police General Command joined forces to apprehend the suspects,” said Lt Col Majid Al Asam, director of the Anti-Narcotics Department at Sharjah Police.

Police learnt that the gang members they arrested were acting under the instructions of a drugs boss based overseas.

Those arrested have been referred to prosecutors for further legal action.

“The success of these operations is attributed to the ongoing co-operation between the UAE's anti-drug agencies and their readiness to tackle drug-related cases,” the senior officer said.

Sharjah Police urged members of the public to report any suspicious activities to their hotline on 800 4654 or via email at dea@shjpolice.gov.ae.

The fight against the Captagon trade - in pictures

Lebanon's Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi, left, at a press conference in Beirut that revealed an attempt had been foiled to smuggle a large quantity of Captagon pills in a shipment of tea. AFP

Lebanese police swooped and seized the boxes of tea containing amphetamines after the smugglers sailed from Beirut’s port. AP

A member of Lebanon's security forces shows how the drugs were hidden deep within what looked like legitimate cargo. EPA

The amphetamines were hidden in 434 boxes mixed with seven tons of tea for export. AP

Mr Mawlawi said the drugs were being sent to Togo in Africa, to then be shipped to the Gulf. AFP

Some of the tea mixed with Captagon pills. Previous consignments have been hidden in fake oranges and lemons, car tyres and even live sheep. AFP

Last year, Saudi Arabia suspended fruit and vegetable imports from Lebanon after more than five million Captagon pills concealed in fruit were confiscated. EPA

Did you know?

Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.

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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

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