DUBAI: Operation Golden Beach was carried out by Dubai Police in cooperation with the Australian Federal Police.
Dubai Police foiled attempt to smuggle 145kg of high quality heroin worth Dh10 million in international waters off the African coast.
Operation Golden Beach was carried out by Dubai Police Force, in cooperation with the Australian Federal Police.
Sixteen Asian sailors have been arrested during the operation.
Major General Khamis Matar Al Muzaina, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, told the media on Tuesday that the Dubai Police’s anti-narcotics department had received information about a wooden ship, called ‘Taj’, sailing towards the African coast from an Asian country.
A special task force was formed and Australian authorities were contacted.
Based on the intelligence information provided by the Dubai Police, the Australian Federal Police passed on the details to the Royal Australian Navy to locate the ship and intercept it.
Royal Australian Navy is coordinating efforts to combat drug trafficking across the Indian Ocean.
The ship was intercepted in international waters off the coast of Tanzania and the high-quality heroin was found hidden in the storage area in the engine room.
Major General Khamis Matar Al Muzaina, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police said, “Operation Golden Beach is the latest addition to a record of international operations that Dubai Police have conducted including the Shark in 2011, Fontino in 2012, Indian Ocean in 2013 and Ocean Coast in 2014,” he added.
Maj. Gen. Al Muzaina said that the anti-narcotics department had been involved in 84 international drug cases in 2013, foiling attempts to smuggle 8,425kg of drugs. In 2014, the department helped solve 114 international cases involving 7,202kg of drugs, he said.
He aslo thanked the Australian team for their co-operation during the operation.
