Sharjah: Two drug dealers were arrested after officers found a large quantity of high-grade heroin from their possession, a senior police officer said on Saturday.
Brigadier Mohammad Rashid Byat, director of operations at the Sharjah Police, said the suspects were Iranian nationals. They were caught peddling narcotic substances among residents and promoting drugs.
During the raid on their house, a huge quantity of heroin was confiscated, Brig Byat said.
The suspects were arrested in a joint sting operation carried out by Sharjah and federal anti-narcotics police, in addition to other security agencies in the country.
Authorities started an investigation after receiving information about the illegal activities of the two suspects.
The suspects confessed to their crime and were referred to the Public Prosecution for further action.
Brig Byat urged parents to constantly monitor the company their children keep. “The UAE has a zero-tolerance policy towards drug use and drug trafficking is a serious offence,” said Brig Byat.
The rate of illegal drug use in the UAE is low compared to the average internationally.
“Possession of the smallest amount of any illegal drug is punishable by a minimum of four years of imprisonment,” he said.
Meanwhile, the renewed war on drugs in schools, on streets and in public places is more important than ever, he added.
The UAE is considered the first country in the Arab world and the fourth globally in identifying new drug trafficking trends and countering illicit production, trafficking and drug abuse.
