The UAE participated in observing the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26th June.
The Ministry of Interior and the General Commands of Police nationwide organised various activities on this occasion. The activities highlighted the problems associated with the drugs use, as well as risks they posed to the individuals and communities. Exhibitions were organised to raise the awareness of the community about the drugs and their dangers.
Colonel Saeed al-Suwaidi, Director-General of the Anti-Drug Federal General Directorate at the Ministry of Interior, stressed the keenness of the ministry to eliminate sources of the drugs supply, as part of its national strategy to fight the drugs, illicit trafficking and put in place measures to identify and prevent the drugs smuggling.
He said the number of people arrested for drug-related crimes had increased by 25 percent in 2016 to reach 5,130 persons, compared with 4,113 captured in 2015.
He hailed the efforts of officers at the directorate who sacrifice their lives for the country to capture criminals and stop trafficking, highlighting their success in achieving the strategic indicators and ambitious goals within the framework of the security alert declared by Lieutenant General Dhahi Khalfan, Deputy Chief of Police and Public Security in Dubai, and Chairman of the National Anti-Narcotics Council, in compliance with the directives of H.H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior.
Colonel Al Suwaidi emphasised that more than 256 websites promoting the drugs were monitored with full co-operation of the Ministry of Interior and the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority that had adopted an operational indicator to monitor these websites, stressing that the monitored websites were outside the UAE and represented a challenge, because the enemy was unknown and outside the country's geographical and legal range.
He said the Ministry of Interior had launched electronic games that included spreading awareness messages promoting skills for children, as well as co-ordination with "Aqdar" programme that focussed on students and promoted appropriate behaviour among them.
Colonel Al Suwaidi called on parents to monitor and supervise their children by communicating with them, identifying their talents and developing them, as well as conducting useful activities in their free time while getting to know their peers and colleagues.
He revealed that foreign networks were involved in many criminal operations in the UAE, and underlined the desire of the ministry to promote international co-operation and encourage the exchange of information with international drugs control authorities.

Source: WAM