DUBAI // Two men were arrested in Dubai in an international multi-agency operation that has led to the seizure of 1.5 tonnes of cocaine, according to the British National Crime Agency.
The coordinated strikes on December 1 led to 11 arrests in total, with six men from Liverpool being arrested in the UK and Dubai.
Dubai Police anti-narcotics unit arrested a 39-year-old and a 38-year-old at a luxury apartment.
Another five men – two Colombians, two Peruvians and a Spaniard – were detained on December 3 by the Spanish National Police at a company in an industrial unit in Chiva, on the outskirts of Valencia.
Acting on intelligence from the National Crime Agency, Spanish police searched a shipping container from Colombia, which arrived in the Port of Valencia on November 30.
The container appeared to be loaded with sacks of charcoal on wooden pallets but forensic examination found that the pallets were made of compressed cocaine powder made to look like wood, and some of the sacks contained cocaine disguised as charcoal.
Greg McKenna, NCA regional head of investigations, said: “We believe the charcoal company was a front for a industrial-sized lab where cocaine was extracted from pallets and charcoal, processed and repackaged for onward distribution across Europe.
“This seizure of cocaine, the shutting down of the lab and the 11 arrests will have disrupted criminal activity across the whole of Europe.”
It is unclear what the involvement of the men arrested in Dubai is but they remain in custody. The four men arrested in Liverpool are on bail pending further enquiries and the five men in Spain are also in custody.
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Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
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Rating: 5/5
The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
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Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Company info
Company name: Entrupy
Co-founders: Vidyuth Srinivasan, co-founder/chief executive, Ashlesh Sharma, co-founder/chief technology officer, Lakshmi Subramanian, co-founder/chief scientist
Based: New York, New York
Sector/About: Entrupy is a hardware-enabled SaaS company whose mission is to protect businesses, borders and consumers from transactions involving counterfeit goods.
Initial investment/Investors: Entrupy secured a $2.6m Series A funding round in 2017. The round was led by Tokyo-based Digital Garage and Daiwa Securities Group's jointly established venture arm, DG Lab Fund I Investment Limited Partnership, along with Zach Coelius.
Total customers: Entrupy’s customers include hundreds of secondary resellers, marketplaces and other retail organisations around the world. They are also testing with shipping companies as well as customs agencies to stop fake items from reaching the market in the first place.
Company%20Profile
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John Heminway, Knopff
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Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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Sheer grandeur
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A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
360Vuz PROFILE
Date started: January 2017
Founder: Khaled Zaatarah
Based: Dubai and Los Angeles
Sector: Technology
Size: 21 employees
Funding: $7 million
Investors: Shorooq Partners, KBW Ventures, Vision Ventures, Hala Ventures, 500Startups, Plug and Play, Magnus Olsson, Samih Toukan, Jonathan Labin
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