Dubai Customs foils a bid to smuggle 2kg from an African country to India

As part of Dubai Customs` consistent efforts to encounter international smuggling operations of narcotic drugs, Customs` officers at Dubai international airport detected 2 kg of the narcotic crystal substance hidden in secret pockets in a bag belonging to an African passenger on a multi-transit destinations flight starting from Nigeria and ending in India via Ethiopia and Dubai.

Ali Al Maqhawi, Director of Airport Operations at Dubai Customs uncovered the details when he said that customs officers at terminal (1) of Dubai International Airport suspected a bag while passing over inspection belts coming from the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa without being collected by any passenger.

As part of the ongoing cooperation with the strategic stakeholders at Dubai Airports and inquiring from Ethiopian Airline station about the bag owner, he was identified as an  (African National).

The passenger following his arrival in Dubai International Airport proceeded to the transit lounge and booked a new ticket to  Delhi in India, requesting the transfer of his bag.

These enhanced customs inspectors` doubts  that the passenger opted to the trick of unlading the bag in Dubai for onward proceeding  to Delhi as  the relevant authorities at other airports around the world appreciate Dubai Customs` world image and the great precision enjoyed by its inspectors in such a way that may lead to leniency toward inspection procedures for baggage arriving in Dubai.

In view of customs inspectors` high security sense and keenness to enhance the Department`s world image have passed the bag through the baggage scanning machine where the images showed intensity in the bottom and at the right and left sides suspected to be containing narcotic drugs.

As part of the joint cooperation and coordination between Dubai Customs and Indian authorities, information was passed to the competent agencies in India for further processing and tracing the bag together with passing the same information to the General Administration of Anti-Drugs.

The Indian authorities reported that the bag was dealt with upon arrival after found, from inspection to be containing  secret pockets  stuffed with 2 Kg of the narcotic crystal substance, and the accused passenger, the owner of the bag was arrested against whom legal actions were taken, appreciating Dubai Customs` cooperation that led to the seizure of these drugs and preventing their entry into India for trading. 

Ali Al Maqhawi affirmed that such seizure is an example of international efforts in the areas of combating narcotics smuggling and reflects our  keenness to keep Dubai away from being a  transit for smuggling such poisons that harm humans and societies anywhere.

Al Maqhawi lauded the high security sense enjoyed by Dubai Customs` inspectors and their effort to achieve the Department`s vision as to be the leading customs administration in the world supporting legitimate trade.

Al Maqhawi added that inspectors` are skilled at all times through attending workshops and specialized training on recognizing narcotic drugs, methods of smuggling, inspection techniques and good treatment with passengers in such a way reflecting UAE`s civilized image.