The Ministry of the Interior cooperated with Interpol in carrying out the operation
"Lion Fish" seizes drugs worth 720 million dollars and 1333 suspects
During the announcement of the success of Operation "Lion Fish" at a press conference.
From the source
Dismantling a secret laboratory to produce thousands of kilograms of "ketamine".
From the source
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An international operation called “Lion Fish” coordinated by the Federal Criminal Police Organization “Interpol” resulted in the confiscation of large quantities of drugs and chemical precursors worth about $720 million, and the operation resulted in the arrest of 1,333 suspects in 22 countries.
The UAE Ministry of Interior actively participated in this process and hosted coordination meetings to build capacity before the start of the process as part of a joint international action that enhances international coordination in combating crime.
Interpol officials revealed during a press conference yesterday, with the participation of the Director General of the International Affairs Office in the Ministry of Interior, Lt. Col. Dana Al Marzouki, and David Counter of Interpol, that Operation Lion Fish 5, which lasted from June 23 to July 31, 2022, It targeted drug trafficking through air, land and sea routes in 22 countries by coordinating cross-border efforts, which led to the seizure of more than 291 tons of precursor chemicals and 35.5 tons of narcotics.
They stated that traditional drugs such as cocaine and cannabis still represent the largest share of the illegal drug market, but "Lion Fish 5" confirmed the high production and sale of methamphetamine, captagon and ketamine manufactured from chemical precursors.
They warned of criminal organizations that, by simply obtaining chemical precursors, can produce endless quantities of drug supplies, especially since the production of synthetic drugs does not depend on environmental or external factors as is the case in the production of cocaine and heroin, but can be manufactured in urban areas.
During the five-week operation, the authorities seized 1.8 tons of ketamine, 683 kilograms of methamphetamine and 581 kilograms of Captagon.
The seizures included 20.2 tons of cocaine, 11.7 tons of hashish, 158 kilograms of heroin, 651 thousand tablets, 48 kilograms of tramadol, nine million and 500 thousand tablets of pseudoephedrine used in the manufacture of methamphetamine, and dozens of firearms, missiles and explosives.
A huge secret laboratory capable of producing thousands of kilograms of ketamine was also dismantled in Cambodia, where the police arrested an internationally wanted person under an INTERPOL red notice for drug smuggling across the border.
India seized 75.3 kg of heroin at Mundra port, and the operation proved that drug traffickers used different types of transportation for drug smuggling, including containerized sea shipments, air mail, postal services, courier, commercial vehicles, gufast ships and small aircraft.
During the operation, INTERPOL's Criminal and Narcotics Networks Unit coordinated a series of operational meetings on information exchange through INTERPOL's secure global communications channel between participating countries around the clock.
Interpol also succeeded in publishing its Relief database during the operation, which is a forensic tool capable of linking drug seizures worldwide, and through which it was found that there was a positive match between two previous drug seizures in Brazil and Germany.
The pre-operation and capacity-building meetings in Abu Dhabi demonstrated the effectiveness of bringing together law enforcement experts and the effectiveness of international law enforcement to work together in sharing intelligence directly, disrupting global drug routes and cutting off the complex criminal organizations they control.
The success of Operation Lion Fish 5 sends a clear message to international criminal groups that successful cooperation between international law enforcement agencies is both possible and feasible.
Cross-border threat
The Ministry of Interior stressed the importance of international action and cross-border coordination in the effective response and combating crime in all its forms, especially those related to drug smuggling gangs and promoters who pose an international and cross-border threat. Which have the benefit and positive effects that enhance the work of the police.
She explained that the complex nature of criminal organizations today requires a precise and coordinated response from law enforcement agencies. Fortunately, the UAE has taken advantage of its strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and the Americas to bring together international drug law enforcement experts and disrupt criminal activities that know no borders.
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