Dubai - The drug war

[edgarshade]

Kaleej Times

27 June 2011

With reader comments

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle08.asp?xfile=data/editorial/2011/June/editorial_June50.xml&section=editorial

It is a matter of great comfort that the Dubai Customs has never eased its stranglehold on those who try to move illegal narcotics through the country or into it. The very fact that over 800 bids to smuggle narcotics were thwarted and several carriers brought to book is worthy of mention.

The training given to the crack squads that monitor intelligence on this menace and ensure that the emirate is drug free is exemplary. One must congratulate the Director-General Dubai Customs Ahmed Butti and his team on doing a great job. It is because of their ability to psychologically and scientifically assess potential criminals that they have this high 
success rate.

But that said, since drug movements are a sophisticated business with no rules and no emotions, the top cadre have begun to use technology and adopt more sophisticated ways of moving their hauls. And since narcotics recognise no boundaries and underground markets abound in which the profit margins are massive, greed and stupidity will always combine to discover someone who will be willing to take the risk. Even though they know it is foolish to try and smuggle a package through Dubai, they will try it. This is why one of the reasons that the war on drugs has global support is that the specialists understand that they can slow the traffic, stem the flow but not stop it. For them it is all about chasing down the weakest links and that can only be sustained if the exchange of information is ongoing, without reservation and shared 
in real time.

As the druglords seek new markets and target the rich and the young, their two main end-users, the need to crackdown hard has to be universal. So long as it is done in pockets while others are casual and easygoing about it, the international trail can always navigate the high security areas and re-route themselves. This is why a zero tolerance approach must be mandated because otherwise it makes the job of those who seriously want to eliminate the scourge that much more difficult

Side by side with the constant vigilance at entry points it is also necessary to de-romanticise the use of drugs and show it for what it is…a killer. Media has a role in this and there is no such thing as recreational drugs. That is a message that has to be pounded to the public.

 

[Transcendence]

Dubai is a shithole that has the audacity to cow legions of foreign workers into slavery while trumpeting the moral dangers of smoking weed.

 

[DCats]

Well said, transcendence. Fucking unbelievable.

 

[hazed420]

Dubai is a shithole that has the audacity to cow legions of foreign workers into slavery while trumpeting the moral dangers of smoking weed.

Not to mention the importation and distribution is overlooked and protected by a number of the princes.

 

[Newbierock]

As racist as this may sound, believe me i'm not.

But arabs have some of the most backwards retarded views in the entire world. Combine that with incredible wealth and well you have a country where you end up in prison for kissing a girl.

 

[skillet]

The training given to the crack squads that monitor intelligence on this menace and ensure that the emirate is drug free is exemplary. One must congratulate the Director-General Dubai Customs Ahmed Butti and his team on doing a great job. It is because of their ability to psychologically and scientifically assess potential criminals that they have this high 
success rate.

Congratulations. We are throwing a party in honour of your tremendous success.

 

[phr]

That was like a verbal handjob.

 

[Solide]

This reads like a parody ..

 

[phenethylo J]

Yea great job Dubai at locking up those criminal who have 0.003Gs of weed stuck to the bottom of their shoe, a poppy seed from a bagel, OTC meds, and their perscription meds with them. These people must be stoped.

for the record all these are things people have/do get arested for there.

 

[slimvictor]

^ I have read about all those things as well.
At that point, they are clearly not interested in preventing drug use (as stupid and insane a proposition as that is).
They just want to punish people, feed the criminal system, make a name for themselves.

That is one place I will never have interest in visiting.

 

[hazed420]

Yea great job Dubai at locking up those criminal who have 0.003Gs of weed stuck to the bottom of their shoe, a poppy seed from a bagel, OTC meds, and their perscription meds with them. These people must be stoped.

for the record all these are things people have/do get arested for there.

Native Emirates Citizens are NEVER arrested just disciplined for such things.
Lesser citizens on the other hand aren't so lucky.

 

[Herbal~Jah]

I wouldn't want to visit ANY asian or arab country.. they are two of the most racist "races" ever to live on the planet earth and both their governments policies like said before are retarded ass backwards nonsense.... Have any of you ever been to like japan? No one will even look at you, or even acknowledge you when you speak to them.

 

[jspun]

PE-J

Yea great job Dubai at locking up those criminal who have 0.003Gs of weed stuck to the bottom of their shoe, a poppy seed from a bagel, OTC meds, and their perscription meds with them. These people must be stoped.

for the record all these are things people have/do get arested for there.

I have also read of such cases- some victims being people who had no intention of visiting the UAE, but had a layover in Dubai or their plane was diverted and got popped for residue they didn't know was on their person.

I'm sure hash is the drug of choice and I read a foreign worker (I believe a poor Nigeriean women- getting arrested for weed- a couple joints and getting her execution commuted to decades in prison.

It seems like such a lame place.

I wonder how popular Captagon/ other amphetamines is in the various emirates- if its as popular as in Saudi Arabia. There is alot of disposable cash there among the rich elite.

 

[jspun]

Just saw a Nat Geo jails abroad about a scott that came to Saudi for work and started makin wine. Latter, in more liberal Bahrain, he met some guys that needed a whickey distributor- he did this but got poped and got a muliti year- drug style alcohol dealing process- but only served half his sentence.

In the past I new that alcohol was illegal in hard islamic states (unless in foreigner compounds), but I always had a notion when I was younger that hash/ cannabis was somehow legal or tolerated. So anyway, ot appears that hash laws in most of these places are more draconian though selectively prosecuted. I wonder if anyone knowns, what is the penalty for alcohol possesssion, distribution, sale in Dubai, or does it very throughout the emitrates? I heard that you get the death penalty (beheading if caught in a DUI) but that sounds exagerated or false unless the perpetrator caused death.

 

[malakaix]

PE-JI have also read of such cases- some victims being people who had no intention of visiting the UAE, but had a layover in Dubai or their plane was diverted and got popped for residue they didn't know was on their person.

I had two layover's in Dubai when flying between Australia and London, i still felt incredibly nervous when going through security, the dreadlocks at the time probably didn't help the situation at all.. there security was extremely intense.

 

[hazed420]

Just saw a Nat Geo jails abroad about a scott that came to Saudi for work and started makin wine. Latter, in more liberal Bahrain, he met some guys that needed a whickey distributor- he did this but got poped and got a muliti year- drug style alcohol dealing process- but only served half his sentence.

In the past I new that alcohol was illegal in hard islamic states (unless in foreigner compounds), but I always had a notion when I was younger that hash/ cannabis was somehow legal or tolerated. So anyway, ot appears that hash laws in most of these places are more draconian though selectively prosecuted. I wonder if anyone knowns, what is the penalty for alcohol possesssion, distribution, sale in Dubai, or does it very throughout the emitrates? I heard that you get the death penalty (beheading if caught in a DUI) but that sounds exagerated or false unless the perpetrator caused death.

You can get alcohol anywhere in Dubai, other places its not as easy to obtain, however everyone has a bottle of Johnnie Walker under the bed, most young men who are relaxed will have some hash hook ups, its taboo so kept behind closed doors.

Those found doing it in public can be dobbed in or spotted, if this happens it could be a public beating, if your selling it.....You may need a hand

 

[megawoof]

find this story quite interesting as alot of my injectable benzos which originate in eygpt go via dubai on route to london always and i have never had a problem with this situation

 

[Zubi420]

Just saw a Nat Geo jails abroad about a scott that came to Saudi for work and started makin wine. Latter, in more liberal Bahrain, he met some guys that needed a whickey distributor- he did this but got poped and got a muliti year- drug style alcohol dealing process- but only served half his sentence.

In the past I new that alcohol was illegal in hard islamic states (unless in foreigner compounds), but I always had a notion when I was younger that hash/ cannabis was somehow legal or tolerated. So anyway, ot appears that hash laws in most of these places are more draconian though selectively prosecuted. I wonder if anyone knowns, what is the penalty for alcohol possesssion, distribution, sale in Dubai, or does it very throughout the emitrates? I heard that you get the death penalty (beheading if caught in a DUI) but that sounds exagerated or false unless the perpetrator caused death.

The penalty in strict salafi islamic states or kingdoms for drinking or drunkeness is 40 lashes or 80 lashes. i forget. Production or trafficking is another story. Turkey which is 99% muslim allows alcohol, strangely enough, and people who are muslim do drink there. It depends on how strict the interpretation of the religion is, when it comes to laws. This is not new though. Muslims have been drinking throughout the religions history. It's definitely not mainstream, except maybe in the more liberal muslim nations.

In the more corrupt muslim nations, although drugs and alcohol may be de jure illegal, most police will turn a blind eye to hash, opium, or alcohol if given a bribe eg. Pakistan, afghanistan, egypt, morocco. though in some of those countries(afghanistan, pakistan) the alcohol can be impure and dangerous to drink, due to its black market nature. There have been cases where many people have died or been seriously injured in a party, from drinking a batch of alcohol cut with industrial solvents, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, etc.

You are right about the foreigner compounds. Those are the only places to get a safe "real" drink, in those countries. In pakistan there is one brewery (Murree Brewery) that produces beer and liquor for foreigners and non-muslim residents exclusively.

 

[Bearlove]

I really like the Middle East - Dubai is a lovely place (for a visit) and there are plenty of places you can go for a drink / club. There are several suppliers where expats can go and buy whatever they want (at a very high price due to taxes) if your staying longer than your Duty Free will last. (Drugs are around - Coke, Hash etc )

Dubai has a strict no drinking / drunkeness in public and if you ignore their laws (regardless of how backward you think they are) then you will pay the price. Kissing, holding hands, showing affection in public places is also allowed (to a degree) - if you think that you can stand in the middle of the high street Frenching your BF/GF then your in for trouble.

To think that the country must be corrupt if they allow drinking is crazy - certain more liberal countries not only allow the sale of alcohol but actually consider it a major part of their income.

 

[Bearlove]

I wouldn't want to visit ANY asian or arab country.. they are two of the most racist "races" ever to live on the planet earth and both their governments policies like said before are retarded ass backwards nonsense.... Have any of you ever been to like japan? No one will even look at you, or even acknowledge you when you speak to them.

- and proof that haters are going to hate!

I wish I had your knowledge, to be able to say that ALL Asian / Arab countries are racist (without even visiting them) must be one hell of a skill 8)