The first day of the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX 2014), currently taking place at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, witnessed sales of 371 hunting weapons at a cost of about Dh 3.5 million, police sources have revealed.
The September 10th-13th event, which was opened on Wednesday by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Western Region and Chairman of the Emirates Falconers' Club, is Arabia's most renowned hunting and equestrian exhibition where visitors can enjoy camel auctions, saluki and falcon beauty contests, art and coffee-making competitions and a variety of traditional hunting and equestrian activities.
Colonel Hamid Al Afrit, Head of the Weapons and Explosives Department at the Directorate-General of the Security and Ports Affairs at Abu Dhabi Police, and Chairman of the ADIHEX Security Committee, affirmed Abu Dhabi Police's determination to deliver best in class services to members of the public and exhibition visitors.
He urged weapon owners and collectors to keep their weapons in safe places out of reach of both children and those who do not have a license to use them.
In a pre-event press release, Abu Dhabi Police unveiled the conditions applicable in order for U.A.E. and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nationals to obtain permits to purchase weapons from ADIHEX.
Colonel Al Afrit indicated that these procedures embody the directives of police leadership to maintain the safety of visitors and participants.
"The police leadership strives to implement an advanced method to regulate the process of purchasing and selling weapons, and for following-up with arms suppliers," he said.