Dubai Customs has achieved a new success in its effort to combat trading in endangered fauna and flora prohibited by CITES Convention, by seizing a major bid to smuggle 259 pieces of ivory coming from an African country through its Jebel Ali Customs Centre.
“Dubai Customs’ inspectors were able to seize the shipment using advanced inspection techniques that were made available to our customs centres. They foiled a bid to smuggle such quantity of ivory of which trading is prohibited under CITES Convention. Smugglers tried to pass the shipment in the capacity of timber furniture as disclosed in the customs declaration about the items contained in the shipment. Our inspectors` vigilance, however, unveiled the truth to find items of which international trading is prohibited”, said Ahmed Bin Lahej, Director of Jebel Ali Customs Canter.
“Under such seizure, Dubai Customs reaffirms its constant endeavour to foil smuggling of all products prohibited by international regulations and laws including trading in products that lead to unfair hunting of endangered animals,” added Bin Lahej.
“Our inspection teams have been provided with adequate expertise and techniques enabling them to detect such items efficiently,” said Bin Lahej
The foiling of smuggling such quantity of ivory was successful due to the support provided by Dubai Customs Risk Engine to inspection operations.
The risk Engine is a Dubai Customs developed early warning system of commercial shipments that contain prohibited or restricted products and determines in advance suspected shipments for onward inspection by customs officers.
“Dubai Customs` successes in foiling bids to smuggling operations have become a deterrent technique for controlling smugglers` persistence in their attempts particularly after having made sure of the difficulty to smuggle prohibited products through Dubai. This has firmly controlled smuggling attempts owing to Dubai Customs` effort in its capacity as the first defence line protecting the society`s security, safety and health,” said Bin Lahej.
The efforts being made to protect the society include encountering bids to smuggle several products.
In addition to the prohibited products under CITES Convention, inspection operations foil entry or passage of narcotic substances and drugs whose use without medical supervision is prohibited together with counterfeited products infringing intellectual property rights, materials of dual usage as well as the biological and chemical substances that are prohibited under international agreements.
Dubai Customs inspection teams are continuously trained on detecting all materials included in lists of prohibited and restricted products by using hi-tech inspection techniques including X-Ray devices, supported as well by advanced IT systems in Customs business, the prominent worldwide model of which is Dubai Customs’ Risk Engine.