Dubai Customs’ inspectors at the Dubai International Airport managed to successfully abort an attempt to smuggle over 4 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine inside two travelling bags that belonged to an Asian passenger coming to the country, where he planned to promote the drugs in the local market.
Ali Al Maqhawi, Director of Airport Operations at Dubai Customs stated that the Customs inspectors, operating at Terminal 2, with their proficiency in reading body language and their high security sense, suspected the passenger who was coming from his Asian country. Having noticed his remarkably weird and abnormal behaviour, they subjected him to customs monitoring till he reached the inspection point, and upon being asked about the contents of the baggage, he stated that they contain clothes and personal stuff. He was then asked to put them on the baggage screening device, whose monitor showed unusual density at the corners of both bags, thus prompting the need to manually examine them.
Through the manual inspection, customs inspectors found secret pockets along the bags’ frame, wherein 4.1 kg of crystal methamphetamine, that is 2.15 kg within the corners of the first bag, and 1.96 kg in the second bag, were hidden.
During the investigation conducted by the investigation officers, the passenger admitted possession of the narcotics, and that he brought them along from his own country with the intention of selling them in the local market. In line with the mutual coordination and cooperation between Dubai Customs and Dubai Police General Headquarters, a seizure report was prepared for the passenger and he was handed over along with the seized items and given statement to the Dubai General Department of Anti-Narcotics in order to complete investigations and take the necessary and subsequent legal action.
This incident comes within the context of the great efforts made by Dubai Customs to combat all kinds of narcotics and other illicit substances’ smuggling, out of its responsibility being the first line of community protection, and by relying on national staff of well-qualified inspectors, who are regularly enrolled in specialized courses in body language, drug identification, possible smuggling methods, handling such seizures and carrying out investigations with accused persons. Mr. Al Maqhawi also pointed out that the Department deploys the latest passenger baggage and belongings inspection and screening equipment, which helps deliver the Department’s strategic vision, and its role in community protection, while remaining keen on facilitating a prompt passenger and baggage boarding.