OPERATION 'GALLANT POLICEMAN' WINS PRAISE FROM AGENCIES

DUBAI - A high-seas operation by Dubai anti-narcotics operatives, backed by
the UAE Interior Ministry and Armed Forces which climaxed with the seizure
of 779kg of hashish and the arrest of smugglers, has won the Dubai Police
praise from pan-Arab security agencies.

"The success of that operation was achieved despite extremely difficult
conditions surrounding all phases of the encounter with thuggish and
reckless criminals," said Colonel Abdul Jalil Mahdi, Deputy Head of the
General Directorate of Criminal Investigations (Anti-narcotics Division),
yesterday.

The recent operation, named 'Gallant Policeman', involved forces from the
anti-narcotics division of Dubai Police, Interior Ministry police and units
of the UAE Armed Forces.

The coordination among the various units was exemplary, said Col. Mahdi. He
said Dubai Police last week received a letter of appreciation from the Arab
Bureau for Anti-narcotics Affairs, which is affiliated to the General
Secretariat of Arab Interior Ministers' Council.

The letter praised the role of Dubai Police in the support, follow-up and
implementation of the operation.

The number of the hashish smugglers was not disclosed, but police said all
of them had been arrested.

"It was an operation that demonstrated the courage and dedication of the
security teams, but it was an extremely dangerous one," said Col. Mahdi.
"The operation included many phases and manoeuvres on high-seas, and they
(the smugglers) were violent and reckless," he added.

He lauded the effort of Dubai Police Chief, Major-General Dhahi Khalfan
Tamim, who followed up the operation and directed the units.

"The operation was carried out under extremely tough conditions," explained
Col. Mahdi. The Arab Bureau was informed about the operation as well as its
full details through a special CD, handed over to the agency in accordance
with international regulations.

The CD will be circulated to various anti-narcotics divisions around the
world to learn from the lessons of Dubai Police, that carried out an
intricate and dangerous operation, said Col. Mahdi.

The police team that carried out the operation was honoured with bravery
medals. They also received cash rewards and promotions.

Law-enforcement agencies in Dubai, during lectures last year that were part
of an ongoing anti-narcotics campaign launched by police, said that an
intensive fight against the menace of drugs was costing an estimated Dh150
million annually.

Police officials said most smugglers were from countries known as 'drugs
exporting states'. They said a large number of individuals from certain
countries were involved in drug trafficking and their names would soon be
exposed. However, they declined to name any country.

Meanwhile, according to latest available figures, six people died of drug
abuse in Dubai in 2001.

Statistics on drugs problem are quite worrying. Maj-Gen Dhahi said at a
lecture during an anti-drugs awareness campaign that a joint committee
comprising officials from Dubai Police and the Ministry of Labour and
Social Affairs was to be set up to study the problems of drug addicts.

Communications experts at Dubai Police headquarters say Dubai Police spend
about Dh150 million annually on fighting the drug menace, but there are no
statistics on how much other administrations in the country spend on the
same activity.