Authorities seize 267,300 amphetamine pills and arrest all members of cross-border criminal gang.
In a significant display of security cooperation, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia have foiled a major drug smuggling attempt, seizing more than 267,000 amphetamine pills and dismantling an entire criminal network involved in cross-border trafficking.
The National Anti-Narcotics Authority (NANA) in the UAE, in coordination with Dubai Police and Saudi authorities, led the operation based on shared intelligence, successfully intercepting the shipment before the drugs could reach local markets.
Joint UAE-Saudi Operation Busts Drug Ring:
According to official statements, the joint effort targeted a criminal network whose members are nationals of an Arab country. All suspects were arrested during the operation.
The amphetamine pills-commonly known regionally as Captagon-were concealed in a sophisticated manner, consistent with tactics used by organised smuggling gangs operating across the Gulf. Saudi Arabia’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) played a key role by providing critical intelligence that helped locate and stop the consignment.
Enhanced Intelligence Sharing Stops Drug Network:
This latest success highlights the strengthening security partnership between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in combating drug trafficking, a persistent challenge in the Gulf region. Amphetamine-type stimulants, particularly Captagon, have been a major concern due to their production in conflict zones and widespread smuggling routes.
Officials from both countries have emphasised that such operations reflect enhanced intelligence-sharing mechanisms and a zero-tolerance approach toward narcotics that threaten public health and social stability.
The seized drugs have a significant street value and were reportedly intended for distribution within the UAE or further smuggling into neighbouring markets.