Dubai's $1 billion Captagon bust ranks as one of world’s biggest
Sales of the highly addictive stimulant continue to fund the Syrian government, despite regional efforts to break up smuggling rings.
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DUBAI — Dubai police halted one of the biggest smuggling operations of the notorious amphetamine variant Captagon, capturing nearly 14 tons valued at more than $1 billion, according to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior on Thursday.
"The six members of the criminal gang were arrested red handed," said UAE Minister of Interior Saif bin Zayed in a tweet from his personal account.
More than 86 million tablets of the highly addictive synthetic stimulant were recovered from 651 wooden ironclad doors and 432 decorative panels made from graphite, all stored in five shipping containers, reported the governmental Emirates News Agency.
Police did not reveal where or when the arrests were made, nor who the suspects were or where the containers came from.
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