UAE: Anti-Drugs Campaign Gets International Backing

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Meena S Janardhan

DUBAI, May 12 2005 (IPS) - The United Arab Emirates’ accessibility by sea, air and land is fortuitous for the country’s economy. But the downside of this otherwise fortunate geography is the ease with which drug barons can shift their illegal wares through the Middle East from sources in South-east Asia, Pakistan and Afghanistan on their way to meeting the high demand of users in Europe and North America.

Hence it will come as no surprise that the UAE does not bat an eyelid when it comes to fighting the illicit drug trade. Recognised regionally as the leading combatant of organised crime, the UAE works closely with the United Nations, Interpol and other federal agencies to thwart international drug traffickers as well as individual smugglers.

The UAE’s hard-hitting anti-drugs drive has received international recognition with the United Nations announcing plans to set up a bureau in the country to coordinate similar efforts in the region.

The U.N. assistant secretary general and executive director of the United Nations programme for fighting drugs and crime, Antonio Costa, lauded the UAE’s anti-drugs policy.

”The UAE has been chosen to host the bureau because of the significant achievements in seizing drugs and contraband narcotics in the country last year. This success indicates the major technical and human capabilities of the country, and gives an indication that the bureau would realise its goals in developing cooperation channels among security agencies in the region, on the one hand, and the U.N. on the other,” he said at a press briefing.

Gen. Saif Abdullah Al Shafaar, assistant undersecretary of the ministry of interior for security affairs, said that the opening of the sub-office would bolster the anti-narcotic efforts of the UAE and those of the Gulf Cooperation Council states and the region at large.

The office will back national and regional efforts by providing consultancy services, training, and information sharing. It will also coordinate a national anti-narcotics strategy and integrate that strategy into a comprehensive global programme.

Anti-drug agencies in the UAE arrested 7,611 suspected drug dealers of various nationalities in 4,774 cases from 1999 to September 2004. During the same period, 18,771 kilogrammes of hashish, 431 kilogrammes of heroin and 111 kilogrammes of opium were seized. In January this year, Sharjah Police seized 600 kilogrammes of hashish, which had been smuggled into the country in crates packed with mandarins for re-export to a neighbouring country.

The UAE also cooperated with several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Australia, Iran, Canada, the Netherlands, Yemen and Pakistan to seize 19,442 kilogrammes of hashish and 50 kilogrammes of heroin. Within the region, the UAE and Iran have signed an agreement against the illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs.

At a ‘Effective Prevention of Drugs’ seminar held in Dubai recently, Queen Sylvia of Sweden, president of the Mentor Foundation, said, ”Drug abuse is a growing problem in the Arab world. Our only long-term hope of defeating the problem of drug misuse is to focus on young people and to help them to reject the temptation to become involved with drugs.”

”We have to offer the youngsters purpose and hope in life and equip them with the knowledge and skills to help them lead full and healthy lives,” added Queen Sylvia.

The Mentor Foundation is an international non-government organsation with a focus on the prevention of drug misuse and the promotion of health and well being of young people.

”The Arab world has more than 400,000 drug addicts,” said Mohammad Abdul Aziz, regional representative of the United Nations office for narcotics and crime, at another workshop on ‘Work Together for Effective Prevention of Drugs’.

According to the U.N. report, ‘Drugs and Crime Worldwide 2004’, three percent of the world’s population (185 million people) are drug addicts, with 4.7 per cent of these between the ages of 15 to 16. The report also adds that 13 million drug addicts are HIV positive, having used contaminated syringes.

Drug trafficking involves 600 billion U.S. dollars annually, which represents about eight per cent of the international trade volume.

The UAE, by virtue of its position as a gateway between the East and West, is not excluded from this extensive black market. However, the actual market for hard and soft drugs in the UAE is very low by international standards. The drug consignments that reach the UAE are invariably part of a re-export operation co-ordinated by middlemen willing to risk severe penalties under UAE federal law.

Legislation enacted in January 1996, imposes the death sentence for convicted drug traffickers. The minimum sentence is four years for possession and usage. However, immunity from prosecution is extended to drug users willing to turn themselves in to the police and seek rehabilitation. Several clinics offer treatment to such addicts.

Dubai police’s director of research and studies, Mohammed Murad Abdulla, said that drug dealers continually try to counter the government’s state-of-the-art surveillance techniques and ever-increasing manpower directed at drug detection.

”However, the Dubai International Airport has one of the most excellent systems in the world in place to weed out the drug smugglers and this equipment is always being updated,” he explained.

”The ports are policed by inspectors and we have specially-trained sniffer dogs to help uncover goods smuggled through the ports. It is not easy to check all cargo but we are always training our officers and improving our resources to ensure the UAE is one of the toughest places for drug dealers to ply their trade,” added Abdulla.

In a bid to protect school children from drugs, the Dubai police recently launched an awareness campaign called ‘Bravery’.

”Specially trained officers regularly visit boys’ and girls’ schools in order to raise awareness among youngsters and prevent them from falling prey to dangerous habits. Pamphlets have been distributed in all Dubai schools and lectures are delivered as well,” said Praveena, a teacher.

”While the struggle against this terrible menace is long and arduous, the awareness measures introduced and the tough stance taken by the authorities will definitely have an effect,” she added.