'Couldn't believe I buried my child': UAE father recalls son's fatal drug overdose
Devastated father, Abu Omar, spoke publicly for the first time in Recovered (Mut'aafi), a series launching by the Security Awareness Department at the General Department of Community Happiness, in collaboration with the General Department of Anti-Narcotics on Thursday.
'I couldn't believe I was burying my own child,' he said in the emotionally charged interview, recalling the moment he lost his son to addiction. The episode, titled 'A Cry of Pain and a Wakeup Call,' recounted how negative influences led his son down the path of substance abuse, with devastating consequences.
Hosted by Mahra Al Marzouqi, the episode carries a message for every household: stay alert, stay involved and protect your children from drugs and harmful company.
The videocast is part of a wider initiative by Dubai Police to use digital storytelling and real testimonies to reach residents and families. Dr. Colonel Saud Al Rumaithi, Deputy Director of the General Department of Community Happiness, said the project is a human-centred effort to highlight both the tragic outcomes of drug use and the possibility of recovery.
He said the series will also pay attention to Article 89 of the Federal Decree Law on Combating Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, which allows individuals struggling with addiction to seek treatment without facing legal action.
Public awareness
'The initiative is part of Dubai Police's ongoing commitment to use innovative media tools to strengthen public awareness,' Al Rumaithi added.
The 'Recovered' videocast will be available on Dubai Police's official YouTube channel and across social media platforms.
As part of their preventive efforts, Dubai Police have launched several anti-drugs campaigns and programmes targeting students, parents, workers, and delivery drivers to raise awareness about narcotics and online threats.
'We visited labour camps, schools, shopping malls, and corporate offices. This year, we expanded our awareness efforts to four major exhibitions instead of one. We reached 270,000 school students and more than 20,000 university students,' said. Dr Abdul Rahman Sharaf Al Maamari, Director of the International Protection Centre at the General Department of Narcotics Control.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
4 hours ago
- The National
At least four killed as armed groups attack Syria's security troops in Sweida
Armed groups attacked Syria 's internal security troops in the southern city of Sweida on Sunday, killing at least four people and injuring others, local media and war monitor reported. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that three Syrian security forces personnel were killed "as clashes erupted with local factions around Tal Hadid in the western Sweida countryside". The Observatory also reported the death of a "local fighter". A source told Syria's state-run Al Ekhbariya TV that the armed groups breached the ceasefire deal made in the predominantly Druze region last month after sectarian clashes killed hundreds of people, many of them civilians. Tal Hadid is a 'key control point' at a relatively high altitude, according to the monitor, allowing whoever controls it to overlook neighbouring areas. Fighting also erupted around the city of Thaala, the monitor said, 'following bombardment of the area with shells and heavy weapons launched from areas under the control of government forces, while the sound of explosions and gunfire was heard in various parts of Sweida city'. According to the monitor and Sweida locals, Damascus has been imposing a siege on the province, with the Observatory saying the government wants to 'force inhabitants to comply'. Clashes erupted in early July between Bedouin and Druze factions, after the kidnapping of a Druze trader on a government-controlled road to the north of the city, and escalated into widespread violence in which more than 1,000 people were killed. Syrian government troops were sent to contain the unrest but Druze militias, who deeply distrust the newly established authorities in Damascus and accuse of siding with the Bedouin, mobilised to push them back. The Druze are a minority offshoot of Islam, with followers in Syria, Lebanon and Israel. Sweida province is predominantly Druze but is also home to Sunni tribes, and the communities have been scarred by long-standing tension over land and other resources. A US-brokered truce ended the fighting, which had raged in Sweida city and surrounding towns for nearly a week. The government in Damascus said it would investigate the clashes, setting up a committee for that purpose. The Sweida bloodshed last month was a major test for interim President Ahmed Al Shara, after a wave of sectarian violence in March that killed hundreds of Alawite citizens in the coastal region. Israel in July attacked the main Syrian military compounds in the heart of Damascus, in a widening aerial campaign in response to the offensive on Sweida. Israel said it was acting to defend the Druze minority. Also on Sunday, the Israeli army announced it conducted a raid on targets in southern Syria the previous day, in which it seized weapons and questioned several suspects it said were involved in trafficking weapons in the area.
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
President Sheikh Mohamed establishes new National Anti Narcotics Authority
President Sheikh Mohamed issued a decree establishing a National Anti Narcotics Authority in the UAE. The agency has the responsibility of combating drug trafficking and smuggling, as well as overseeing the rehabilitation and treatment of addicts. The authority, chaired by Sheikh Zayed bin Hamad bin Hamdan Al Nahyan, will also create and implement strategies addressing narcotics and related crimes. Liaising with other agencies to tackle the sale of illegal drugs will also be a remit of the authority, state news agency Wam reported on Sunday. "The National Anti-Narcotics Authority will undertake a comprehensive set of vital mandates, reflecting the UAE's strategic vision to bolster community security, combat various drug-related crimes, and ensure an effective legislative and operational environment to curb this phenomenon," Wam said. "A key mandate includes tackling drug trafficking by tracking and dismantling smuggling and distribution networks, co-ordinating with security and judicial authorities to ensure offenders are brought to justice in accordance with the nation's laws." The body, which is an independent federal entity affiliated to the UAE Cabinet, will work closely with other national agencies to prevent illegal drugs being smuggled into or leaving the country. Another facet of the authority's remit will be dealing with chemicals used for non-medical purposes. This involves developing licensing mechanisms, trading and storage conditions and customs clearance procedures to ensure the lawful use of chemicals and preventing their misuse in illegal activities.
ARN News Center
13 hours ago
- ARN News Center
Dubai arrests 2 men for channelling illegal funds via digital wallets
Two men have been arrested in Dubai for duping several people into using their bank accounts or digital wallets to channel funds obtained through online fraud. Investigation by Dubai Police's Anti-Fraud Centre revealed that the men used social media to target and convince individuals into sharing their banking details or open new accounts or digital wallets for small amounts. The men then used these accounts to channel the illegal funds to deceive the authorities by not leaving a money trail. Following their arrests, the officers confiscated several electronic devices and payment cards associated with the fraudulent accounts, and started legal proceedings against the criminals. Dubai Police, which released details as part of its ongoing awareness campaign "Be Aware of Fraud", urged the public to avoid engaging with suspicious banking offers or sharing personal details with unofficial sources. They also highlighted that such actions could unintentionally implicate individuals as accomplices in the crime, resulting in serious legal consequences. The authority called on the public to promptly report suspicious financial activities through the "eCrime" platform or the Dubai Police smart app.
