Dubai Police Arrest Head of Transnational Crime Group

 A police officer wears a smart helmet as he uses it to test the
temperature of the workers during the outbreak of the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) in Dubai. (Reuters)
A police officer wears a smart helmet as he uses it to test the temperature of the workers during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Dubai. (Reuters)
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Dubai Police Arrest Head of Transnational Crime Group

 A police officer wears a smart helmet as he uses it to test the
temperature of the workers during the outbreak of the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) in Dubai. (Reuters)
A police officer wears a smart helmet as he uses it to test the temperature of the workers during the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Dubai. (Reuters)

The general command of Dubai Police announced it has arrested Denis Matoshi, a leader of the Kompania Bello criminal group, a transnational organized crime syndicate involved in drug trafficking and smuggling operations between South America and Europe with an estimated street value of 1.523 billion dirhams (350 million euros).

As part of an international operation dubbed Los Blancos, Dubai Police arrested the suspect who is wanted by the Italian authorities on charges of "criminal complicity and leading a drug-trafficking gang at an international level."

The operation, which involved 10 countries, resulted in arresting 20 wanted gang leaders on Wednesday, in response to the red notice issued by the International Criminal Police Organization "Interpol" to arrest suspects including the Albanian leader in Dubai.

Italian authorities valued the cooperation of the UAE and its Interior Ministry represented by Dubai Police and hailed its swift action to arrest Matoshi, one of the most dangerous leaders of this organization, which worked jointly in three drug trafficking groups between South America and Europe through seaports.

The Italian part also noted that the organization recruited many leaders to mislead the authorities and ensure the continuance of its activities. The gang had been investigated since 2015 by two drug enforcement task forces and the Flying Squad Unit in Florence.

General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, commander-in-chief of Dubai Police, said the Albanian suspect leader from Kompania Bello was arrested in Dubai after intensive monitoring of his movement by Dubai Police in the city based on a red warrant and exchanging information with the Italian authority.

Major-General Khalil Ebrahim Al Mansouri, the assistant commander-in-chief for Criminal Investigation Affairs, said the 20 suspects were arrested in a single strike by police departments from 10 countries including Italy, Albania, Germany, Spain, Hungary, Greece, Romania, Holland, UK and the UAE.



KAUST Develops Robotic System to Improve Date Palm Harvesting

The robotic arms of the system will be able to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without damage to itself or the fruit - SPA
The robotic arms of the system will be able to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without damage to itself or the fruit - SPA
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KAUST Develops Robotic System to Improve Date Palm Harvesting

The robotic arms of the system will be able to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without damage to itself or the fruit - SPA
The robotic arms of the system will be able to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without damage to itself or the fruit - SPA

The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) has been developing a new robotic system designed to automate date palm harvesting, SPA reported.
According to a KAUST press release, the system aims to revolutionize the agriculture industry and establish Saudi Arabia as a leader in agriculture innovation. The research, led by KAUST Assistant Professor Shinkyu Park, focuses on automating key processes in date farming, such as harvesting, pollination, and tree maintenance through AI-powered robotics, and promises to yield larger quantities of more nutritious dates.
Park's "robotic farmers" solution combines robotics for reliable farming and AI for greater efficiency. The robotic arms of the system will be able to move as quickly as a human farmer while precisely picking each date without damage to itself or the fruit. Equipped with high-precision visual sensors, the robotic farmers can identify individual dates, flowers, and tree structures to perform tasks such as harvesting, spraying, and pruning, ensuring tree health, productivity, and longevity while reducing the risk of pest infestations and diseases.
Field trials are scheduled to begin during the 2025 harvest season, with full operational capability expected within three years. Park suggested that a Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) model could allow smaller farmers to access the technology without the burden of purchasing the robots outright.
The project is one of many at KAUST that will benefit date farming and food security. Such projects provide Saudi Arabia an advantage not only in agricultural technology but also in agricultural expertise, as leaders in farming and robotics are drawn to the region, while laborers will be the first to engage with the new technologies developed by Park and his team, according to the release.
"I am excited that this initiative extends beyond engineering solutions and cultivates research and development opportunities for local talent, contributing to the long-term sustainable educational and economic growth of the Kingdom," he said.