Dubai and Australian forces nab heroin smugglers off waters

In a joint operation code-named 'The Golden Beach', the Dubai Police and the Australian Federal Police have foiled an attempt to smuggle 145kg of heroin with street value of more than Dh10 million in the international waters off the African coast.

A crew of 16 Asian sailors were also arrested.

Major General Khamis Matar Al Muzaina, Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police, told the media yesterday that the Dubai Police's anti-narcotics department had received information about a wooden ship, called Taj carrying 145kg of illegal drugs, sailing towards the African coast from an Asian country.

He said a taskforce was set up to co-ordinate contacts with the Royal Australian Navy in the Indian Ocean. The joint team intercepted the ship in international waters off Tanzania and seized the drugs, which was hidden in the engine chamber.

'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.