Dubai Police Arrest 280 Suspects Linked to WhatsApp Drug-Delivery Service
Dubai Police have arrested 280 suspected traffickers accused of targeting the public through a WhatsApp drug delivery scheme.
The force, in collaboration with the Economic Security Centre of Dubai, launched a major crime-fighting campaign between June and December.
They say criminals were sending unsolicited WhatsApp messages to users promoting the sale of drugs such as illegal painkillers, hashish and crystal meth.
After a purchase was agreed, the buyers would make a bank transfer, and the suspects shared GPS coordinates of the location of the drugs, which were usually buried in remote areas, police said.
The messages were sent at random from unidentified phone numbers.
Maj. Gen Eid Thani Hareb, director of the anti-narcotics department at Dubai Police, told sources his team had seized more than 118kg of illegal substances during the campaign.
“The ‘unknown messages’ style was spreading and luring more people into drug addiction,” he said.
“It doesn’t require physical contact between the buyer and seller. It was a challenge for us.”
Maj. Gen Hareb said officers analysed data from social media platforms to identify those receiving the money in their bank accounts.
The force found suspected traffickers were opening bank accounts using Emirates ID details of workers or children.
About 600 accounts thought to be linked to drug-dealing were blocked between June and December.
