Dubai: Dubai Police arrested three Asian men in two separate operations attempting to smuggle 11.8kg of heroin into the country for the purpose of selling the drug.

Major General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, Assistant to the Dubai Police Chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, praised the efforts of the Anti-Narcotics Department of Dubai Police in tracking and arresting criminals who think they can get away with their illegal activities.

He said that the three men were arrested at the end of June.

Colonel Eid Thani Hareb, Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department of Dubai Police, said they arrested M.A.M.N., 35, in an ambush in Hor Al Anz area. Police said that M.A.M.N. was hiding 8.8kg of heroin in the boot of a rented car, which he rented especially to hide the drug from his flat mates.

When questioned, the suspect confessed to being part of an international drug smuggling ring that is run from his home country, taking advantage of his job as a taxi driver at a private taxi company in Dubai.

The two other suspects were arrested in Jebel Ali, and found in possession of 3.2kg of heroin.

Col Hareb said that the department had reliable information that M.K.T., 40, was in possession of psychotropic drugs. Based on this information, the department cornered M.K.T. near one of the gates of Jebel Ali Port, and arrested him and another man who was with him.

M.K.T. and the man who was caught with him, A.D., 34, both worked as freight truck drivers, driving between the UAE and a neighbouring GCC country.

After investigation, they found out that A.D. was M.K.T.’s partner in crime and helped him smuggle the drug.

Police found a large sum of money, in a GCC country’s currency, in M.K.T.’s pocket and found the drug hidden in a safe in A.D.’s truck.

Both the men confessed to working together to smuggle the drug to sell and promote it, in collaboration with a third person who lives in the GCC country from where they travel back and forth.

The third person is the one who provided them with the drugs.

All three suspects from the two operations have been transferred to the public prosecution and charged with bringing in drugs with the purpose of selling and promoting the same.