A gang of nine Asian men who were planning to sell more than a million narcotic pills in the country had been arrested in the UAE, the Sharjah Police said.
Under the Sharjah Police operation called ‘Lightning Force’, the group was caught with a massive haul of the controlled anti-anxiety drug Xanax that was worth more than Dh15 million.
Lt-Col Majid Al Asem, director of the Sharjah Police’s narcotics control department, said the operation was carried out in response to a tip-off about the gang’s attempt to sell the drugs. The police were able to intercept calls that confirmed the group’s plan.
A task force was formed to gather information and, within 12 hours, all nine gang members had been identified and their location tracked down.
Executing Operation Lightning Force, the Sharjah Police — in coordination with other authorities in the country — caught the gang red-handed at their accommodation. The group confessed to the crime during the investigation.
Lt-Col Al Asem called on the public to report any suspicious acivity by calling the police’s hotline 8004654 or by sending an e-mail to dea@shjpolice.gov.ae. Residents can do their part in preventing such crimes and keeping their communities safe by cooperating with the police, he added.
