Latest news with #Dh279
Gulf Insider
30-06-2025
- Gulf Insider
Sharjah Police Seize Over 1,240Kg Of Drugs Worth Dh279m, Arrest 680 In Major Crackdown
Sharjah Police have seized more than 1,240 kilograms of illegal drugs worth over Dh279 million and arrested 680 individuals involved in drug trafficking and promotion as part of an intensified anti-narcotics drive in 2024. The figures were revealed during a special forum held at Sharjah Police Headquarters on Monday to mark the International Day Against Drug Abuse. The event, themed 'An Aware Family, a Safe Society,' highlighted the emirate's aggressive crackdown on drug-related crimes. Brigadier Majid Sultan Al Asam, Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department, said the force achieved a 91.2% success rate in its operations last year, citing a field study conducted by the Department of Statistics and Community Development in Sharjah. Among the high-profile operations carried out in 2024 were code-named 'Destructive Stone' and 'A4.' In early 2025, a major international sting—dubbed 'Bottom of Darkness'—led to the seizure of nearly 3.5 million illegal pills, underscoring the force's continued vigilance. Brigadier Al Asam also warned about the rising threat of digital drug trafficking. In 2024, police tracked and shut down 680 social media accounts used to promote and sell drugs across the UAE. 'Our biggest challenge today is digital,' he said. 'Dealers are hiding behind anonymous profiles, sending random messages to lure users—especially youth—on platforms and messaging apps.' He urged the public to report suspicious activity via the police hotline: 8004654. The awareness forum was attended by Major General Abdullah bin Amer, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, and featured a panel discussion moderated by Mohammed Al Manna'ai. The panel explored legal and operational strategies to combat drug trafficking and addiction. Speakers included: Mohammed Ibrahim Al Raisi, Director of Ports and Border Points Affairs Shams Al Shamsi, Director of the Narcotics Prosecution Judge Dr. Abdullah Salem Al Naqbi, Sharjah Judiciary Department Brigadier Majid Sultan Al Asam, Director of the Anti-Narcotics Department The discussion emphasised the importance of prevention, treatment, and community involvement—particularly in steering youth away from drug use. Brigadier Al Asam underscored that drug prevention is a collective effort. 'Combating drugs isn't just a police responsibility—it starts at home,' he said. 'Families, schools, and communities must work together to protect our children. When we build aware families, we build a safe society.'
Gulf News
18-02-2025
- Business
- Gulf News
Travel: Which new destinations are UAE airlines flying to in 2025?
UAE carriers Etihad, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and flydubai have announced route launches Last updated: February 18, 2025 | 06:00 2 MIN READ Budget carriers Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Air Arabia are also growing their route offerings. Jason Toevs / Pexels Dubai: UAE airlines, including Etihad Airways, Wizz Air, Air Arabia, and flydubai, are gearing up for a busy 2025 with scheduled flights to nearly 20 new destinations. Etihad Airways, the UAE's flag carrier, is expanding its network with at least 14 new destinations in 2025, including Atlanta, Hong Kong, Chiang Mai, and Krabi. Budget carriers Wizz Air Abu Dhabi and Air Arabia are also growing their route offerings. Also, UAE carriers have introduced off-peak airfare deals to attract travellers, with Air Arabia is launching a major seat sale offering 500,000 seats starting at just Dh129. Here are some of the destinations UAE residents can include in their travel bucket list this year: Etihad Airways Etihad Airways will introduce direct flights to Sochi, Russia, starting May 29. The carrier will fly between Zayed International Airport, Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Sochi International Airport (AER) thrice a week. The flights are on sale now, and Etihad fly to Sochi using the modern A320 family aircraft. It is the 14th new destination the airline will add to its network this year. Etihad will also commence flights to Atlanta, Hanoi, Hong Kong and Taipei, as well as to the European capitals of Prague and Warsaw. Expanding its network across North Africa, Etihad will begin flying to Algiers, Tunis and Al Alamein. flydubai flydubai will begin offering daily flights to Al Alamein, Egypt, starting on June 21 and continuing until September 7. Last year, the Dubai carrier grew its network in Europe to 43 destinations in 21 countries despite being forced to cancel the launch of routes planned amid jet delivery delays at Boeing and supply chain problems. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will expand its network with thrice-weekly flights to Varna, Bulgaria, starting March 31. Fares to Varna begin at Dh279. The national airline unlocked more than 4.4 million ultra-low-cost seats and carried 3.5 million passengers directly last year. The joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings PLC achieved 20 per cent growth year-on-year in seat capacity and the number of passengers carried. Air Arabia Air Arabia has also commenced thrice-weekly flights from Sharjah to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 30. Boosting routes Dubai's flagship carrier, Emirates, is boosting its flights to Madagascar to meet robust travel demand. The airline will introduce additional flights to the island nation, boosting its schedule from four to six-weekly services, starting April 2. Saudi carriers Meanwhile, UAE carriers aren't the only ones launching new routes this year. Saudia has announced a significant expansion of its global flight network, adding more than ten new destinations for 2025. The additions to Saudia's network include Vienna (Austria), Venice (Italy), Larnaca (Cyprus), Athens and Heraklion (Greece), Nice (France), Malaga (Spain), Bali (Indonesia), Antalya (Turkey), El Alamein (Egypt), and Salalah (Oman). Sign up for the Daily Briefing Get the latest news and updates straight to your inbox
