Sharjah Police thwart plot to use delivery riders as drug couriers

Force made seven arrests and seized more than 7kg of crystal meth in surveillance operation

Sharjah Police seized 7.6kg of crystal meth, 494g of hashish and other drug paraphernalia

Sharjah Police thwarted a crime gang accused of using delivery riders to distribute drugs, the force said on Tuesday.

Anti-narcotics officers arrested seven Asian citizens in connection with the plot in an operation carried out with the support of enforcement agencies across the Emirates.

They placed the gang under surveillance after receiving information they were using riders as unwitting drug couriers.

Police said it was unlikely the workers had any knowledge of the goods they were transporting.

They did not reveal when the arrests took place.

The suspects are in custody and have been referred to prosecutors.

Police seized 7.6kg of crystal meth, 494g of hashish and other drug paraphernalia.

They urged the public to report any suspicious activities or packages to them by calling 901 or emailing [e-mail].

In 2020, Interpol issued an alert warning of criminal organisations using food delivery services to transport drugs and other illicit goods as countries were locked down during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The global law enforcement body said it had received reports from police in Ireland, Malaysia, Spain and the UK of delivery drivers transporting drugs such as cocaine, marijuana, ketamine and ecstasy.

In April 2020, Spanish police arrested seven people dressed as food delivery drivers in Alicante and Valencia, who were caught peddling cocaine and marijuana by bicycle, motorbike and car.

Some of the drugs were concealed inside a false bottom of their home delivery backpacks.

In Ireland, police recovered 8kg of cocaine and two handguns hidden in pizza boxes.