NEW PLAN TO FIGHT DRUG TRAFFICKING

Dubai: The Anti-Narcotics General Department has formed new sections
and strategies to deal with the growing problem of drug trafficking.

Dubai Police has blocked many international sites and online forums
in order to thwart drug trafficking and peddlers, who use these
sites and forums to hold sale transactions, in particular those
taking place abroad, said Brigadier Abdul Jaleel Mahdi, Director of
the Anti-Narcotics General Department.

The department used to be part of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

He said 440 people were deported in 2008 for possessing drugs for
personal consumption.

The Dubai Police's anti-narcotics department has seized over the
past year about 298.725 kilograms of drugs, including heroin,
hashish and opium. They have also arrested 1,332 people on charges
of possession and drug smuggling who are mainly of Asian and African
nationalities. While the total number of cases dealt with by the
police during the same period was 1,102.

"The administration is intensifying efforts to prevent the flow of
drugs into the country, whether it is for trafficking or
re-exporting it to other countries.

"This is done by monitoring and following-up on tips received in
this regard by cooperating with relevant bodies in other countries
to reach the gangs involved in drug trafficking as well as following
up on the leads on online sites and forums by specialists in the
department to identify any attempt to trade through the internet," he said.

According to Brigadier Mahdi, the new strategy of the department is
to reduce the demand for drugs by creating awareness in the society
about the dangers of addiction and by monitoring and capturing drug
dealers, preventing pre-planned crimes, and fighting drug-trafficking.

A special section has been set up to focus on creating awareness and
offer guidance in schools and universities about the dangers of
consuming narcotics and its impact on the health, psyche and living
standards of a person.

"One of the major causes of drug addiction and smuggling is the
absence of parental guidance, and due to broken homes," he said.

The department's another priority is to prevent drugs from being
smuggled into prisons as around 32 such cases were reported in the
recent past.

Most drug addicts are in the age group of 20 to 30 years. As many as
95 per cent of the addicts are living with hepatitis C and Aids due
to the use of contaminated syringes, he said. He said there was the
case of a 19-year-old boy who dropped out of school and became a
drug addict and his parents have no clue of his whereabouts.

In another case a husband forced his wife to become a drug addict
like him, Brigadier Mahdi said adding that in some cases an elder
family member had taken advantage of their younger siblings to
smuggle drugs for them in the neighbourhood as they would be the
least suspected, he said.

"We call upon any families or individuals who have any drug problem
or suspicion of any drug activity in their household or any other
location to contact the department we assure individuals absolute
confidentiality and safety," he said.

Many people who use hashish later become addicted to heroin, he said
adding that the switch is done because hashish is traceable in the
blood for 25-30 days after consumption whereas heroin remains only
for four days.