UAE, Kuwait bust international drug ring, seize 14 million pills hidden in grain sacks

Dubai Police, in coordination with Kuwait's anti-narcotics authorities, have successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle one of the largest consignments of Captagon tablets.

The General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police and its counterpart in Kuwait joined hands in a major operation that dismantled an international drug trafficking network and led to the seizure of more than 14 million Captagon pills.

The criminal network had employed a sophisticated concealment tactic by hiding millions of pills inside sacks of corn grains. The shipment was distributed across five containers in an effort to evade inspection procedures and deflect suspicion.

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Through detailed intelligence analysis and continuous information sharing between the Emirati and Kuwaiti authorities, the network's plan was uncovered and the movements of individuals linked to the shipment were closely monitored. This helped specialised teams to intervene at a critical stage and prevent the illicit operation from progressing.

Captagon is one of the brand names for fenethylline — a codrug of amphetamine and theophylline — used as a psychostimulant. Fenethylline is illegal in most countries.

Three suspects apprehended

Investigative teams initiated an extensive surveillance operation based on confidential intelligence exchanged with Kuwait. Three Arab nationals were identified as being connected to the shipment, which had arrived through the port of an Arab country.

Specialised teams carried out a precise operation, apprehending the three suspects while they were unloading the sacks in order to store them. The entire quantity of narcotics was seized on site.

Seizure highlights scale of crime

The operation resulted in the confiscation of 2 tonnes and 250 kilograms of Captagon tablets, totalling 14,062,500 pills. The drugs had been tightly concealed within a commercial shipment in an attempt to introduce them illegally. This seizure ranks among the most significant operations targeting organised trafficking networks.

Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad Al Nahyan, Chairman of the National Anti Narcotics Bureau expressed his appreciation to the anti-narcotics officers at Dubai Police and their counterparts in Kuwait for their professionalism, vigilance and dedication, which were instrumental in dismantling the criminal network and disrupting its plans.