Seven people were arrested and as many as 1.2 million narcotic pills seized when the Abu Dhabi Police swooped in on a gang running illegal drug operations.
The suspects had been under the police radar for over four months, and their movement between the emirates was being closely monitored, a top cop said on Tuesday.
Colonel Taher Gharib Al Dhaheri, Director of the Abu Dhabi Police Anti-Narcotics Directorate, said it was the arrest of the first suspect with 120,000 narcotic pills and the subsequent investigation that led to the arrest of others.
The second suspect to be arrested played a key role in the network of illegal activity. He was arrested with 15,000 pills and used to handle the purchase and sale of drugs.
These arrests exposed an entire network of organised crime from drug peddlers and buyers, and resulted in the seizure of a large haul of narcotic pills that were intended to be smuggled into a neighbouring country.
Al Dhaheri noted that smuggling and sale of drugs is considered an organised crime. The anti-narcotics department called on members of the community to collaborate with the police and report any information related to drug activity by calling phone number 800 26 26.
