Dubai Police has dismantled a drugs gang operating from a residential villa, the force announced on Sunday.

Officers raided the house, arrested two Asian gang members and seized 40kg of drugs including ketamine, crystal meth, marijuana and hashish oil.

The force said a trafficker based abroad was directing the activity.

Code-named “Operation Villa”, officers learnt a criminal group were distributing drugs from inside a villa in the emirate and launched a surveillance operation.

They first lured one member into a trap and arrested him. He confessed and revealed his partner's role, police said.

In a further sting operation, officers caught the accomplice red-handed while packaging drugs.

Interrogations revealed both suspects were operating under a gang leader running the operation from outside the country, the force said.

No further details about the operation were released.

Brig Khalid bin Muwaiza, director of the general department of anti-narcotics, however, said the operation reflects Dubai Police’s relentless efforts to track, intercept and dismantle drug gangs.

Brig bin Muwaiza said the force would continue to cut off criminal networks even if their masterminds operate from abroad and strike hard against anyone attempting to undermine community safety.

He also said the operation underlined Dubai Police’s advanced crime-fighting system, which integrates artificial intelligence technologies with skilled and highly qualified officers.

Members of the public were called upon to support the fight against drugs by reporting any suspicious activity, behaviours or messages through the call centre on 901, or through the “Police Eye” service on the Dubai Police smartphone App.