COOPERATION IN COMBATING DRUG TRAFFICKING DISCUSSED

ABU DHABI - The UAE and Iran have discussed ways of bolstering
bilateral cooperation to combat drug smuggling and
trafficking.

A visiting Iranian delegation, headed by Mohammed Ali Al Hashimi,
Director-General of International Relations, met top officials at the
Ministry of Interior. The delegation, on a three-day visit to the
country, was received by Major-General Saif Abdullah Al Shafar,
Assistant Under-secretary for Security Affairs.

During the meeting attended by Brigadier Abdul Rahman Saleh Shalwah,
Director-General of Criminal Security at the ministry, the officials
discussed ways of enhancing cooperation and coordination and exchange
of information between the two countries in the field of combating
drugs.

The Iranian delegation made a presentation on the efforts made by Iran
in this field. Later, the delegation held another meeting with Brig.
Shalwah and other officials. The meeting, attended by directors of
anti-narcotics departments in the country, discussed a draft
memorandum of understanding between the UAE Ministry of Interior and
Iran on cooperation in combating drug trafficking. The MoU will be
endorsed by officials of the two countries.

After the meeting, Brig Shalwah said a total of 525 people involved in
drug trafficking and drug abuse crimes had been arrested between
January and May this year.

He said the accused, who are of different nationalities, were arrested
by anti-drug squads while attempting to smuggle drugs, adding that the
anti-drugs departments were putting in tremendous efforts to prevent
smuggling of drugs into the country.

He pointed out that the anti-drugs agencies confiscated about three
tonnes of hashish in three operations. This included 1800kg in a
single operation which was on its way to one of the neighbouring Gulf
countries.

The culprits were tracked and arrested and the smuggled consignment
was confiscated.

Brig Shalwah said the ministry's anti-drugs action plan was carried
out in four phases. The first phase aims at curbing drug abuse and
reducing the number of drug addicts through awareness programmes on
the dangers of drug abuse and its devastating effects on the
individual, family and the society as a whole. This phase also
includes providing rehabilitation programmes for those involved in
drug abuse to help addicts quit the habit and re-introduce them in the
society.

The second phase focuses on narrowing the chances of drugs promotion
through tracking drug trafficking gangs, taking precautionary measures
to prevent smuggling of drugs into the country, and intensifying crack
down on trafficking and smuggling operations, in coordination with
neighbouring countries, on the basis of the Drugs Controlled Delivery
concept which aims at aborting drugs trafficking and smuggling
operations at source and tracking drugs gangs up to their targeted
destination in order to arrest the entire gang involved in such crimes.

Phase three focuses on training the personnel dealing with drugs
crimes and drug abuse and the use of latest technology used in
detecting drugs at the country's exit points. Phase four concentrates
on enhancing cooperation with international organisations and
institutions concerned with drugs combating, in addition to bolstering
cooperation with neighbouring countries through exchange of
information and setting up liaison offices to curb drugs at source,
Brig Shalwah said.