An illegal warehouse in Ajman has been closed and nearly 16,000 tobacco products confiscated.
The recovered items found at the unlicensed facility included both cooked and raw Mu’assel, which is a syrupy tobacco mix, electronic shisha, and flavoured oils.
The value of the seized items is estimated at Dh1.5 million.
Ajman Department of Economic Development and the Municipality and Planning Division in Ajman closed the illegal warehouse, located in the Second Industrial Area of Al Jarf, after it was found to have been manufacturing and packaging the illegal items.
"A team of inspectors from both parties seized an unlicensed warehouse belonging to one of the tobacco stores in the emirate," said Ahmed Al Balushi, director of the Control and Consumer Protection Division at the Department of Economic Development.
"This warehouse manufactures and packages tobacco products using international trademarks.
"The warehouse was immediately seized and closed, and the goods were confiscated.”
Mr Al Balushi urged the public to avoid buying products from unlicensed facilities, and report any vendors or warehouses that breach the UAE law by calling the Ajman Contact Centre.
"Such goods and products are detrimental to the health and safety of society, the environment and the local economy," he said.
Earlier this month, police seized 64,000 bags of naswar, a banned chewing tobacco, from an illegal factory outside Sharjah.
Eighteen men were arrested and 15,000 kilograms of tobacco leaves, raw materials and machines were confiscated.
In 2018, the UAE exported cigarettes worth Dh12 billion ($3.34 billion), making it the country's third-biggest non-oil export behind gold and raw aluminium.
“Protecting society and maintaining the health of citizens against harmful business practices is one of the strategic objectives of the Authority and the customs sector in the UAE," said Ahmed Obaid Al Suwaidi, head of the Health Control Division at the Municipality and Planning Department.
"Expired, unfit for distribution and high-risk materials are re-packaged with new dates in these warehouses."
Mr Al Suwaidi reassured the public that they "destroyed all the seized products".
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Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
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Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
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- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
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