The Ministry of Interior has blocked more than 2,800 social media accounts in the past three years that were found to be promoting drugs, as part of government efforts to combat drug abuse and safeguard public health and safety.
The ministry, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and social media companies, has been monitoring online platforms to identify accounts involved in promoting illegal substances, it said in its monthly report.
"The drug gangs are always changing their methods to smuggle and promote drugs," said Brig Saeed Al Suwaidi, director general of the federal anti-narcotics general directorate.
"The online marketing of drugs has become a challenge but we are standing firmly against it.”
The accounts engaged in drug dealing were blocked and several suspects were arrested.
“There is a trend of smuggling drugs inside the UAE through social media accounts. We blocked 2,852 accounts and arrested 36 big drug dealers running the drug networks from outside the country,” Brig Al Suwaidi added.
Advanced technology, artificial intelligence algorithms and skilled personnel have been monitoring online activities and identifying accounts promoting drugs.
“With the use of artificial intelligence, the accounts promoting drugs will be blocked," Brig Al Suwaidi said.
War on drugs
Law enforcement agencies in the UAE arrested a total of 10,315 suspects and seized 11,884kg of drugs last year.
Brig Al Suwaidi said an awareness campaign launched by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, to crack down on unknown messages promoting drugs inside the country had a noticeable impact after engagement by the public.
The campaign, which was launched in May under the slogan 'Join us to stop it', encouraged people to report any WhatsApp messages that promoted drugs before blocking the number.
Brig Taher Al Dahri, director of the Anti-Narcotic Department in Abu Dhabi Police, said the WhatsApp messages were sent randomly to different numbers and contained pictures, videos and audio messages.
Brig Al Dahri urged the public to report any suspicious message by calling 8002626.
“Fighting drug abuse is a joint responsibility between law enforcement bodies and the public in creating a drug-free society,” he added.
In October, Dubai Police arrested a suspected WhatsApp drug dealer known as The Bat after a 10-day operation.
Police said the man in his 30s, whose nationality was not disclosed, was found in possession of 200kg of illegal substances and two vehicles that he used to distribute and store the drugs.
