Dubai Police aid in historic opium drug bust

The haul took place following a security tip that was sent by Dubai Police about suspicions on 19 shipping containers carrying the substances to Canada.

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The opium was concealed within 247 shipping palettes, discovered following examination by Canadian authorities using a wide range of detection tools and technology.

Dubai Police confirmed that the record bust is an example of their continuous cooperation and collaboration with Canadian authorities and law enforcement agencies.

The force reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong, active and vital communication channels with police agencies around the world to tackle transnational organised crime and ensure the world’s safety and security. The importance of unifying and strengthening international security efforts, exchanging intelligence and security plans was also emphasised on by the force.

Dubai Police explained that an urgent meeting was held with the Canadian authorities to provide preliminary information including the path of marine containers through five countries heading to Canada. They remained in constant contact and coordination with the Canadian authorities and tracked the shipment for 73 days until it arrived at the port, where it was seized.

“The joint investigation contributed to keeping nearly 2,500 kilograms of opium with an estimated street value of over 50 million Canadian dollars from entering the province of British Columbia, this significant drug seizure has undoubtedly put a dent in organised crime,” said Will Ng, Assistant Commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).