H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, discussed with Edward Hobart, British Consul General in Dubai, means of enhancing customs ties between Dubai and the United Kingdom.
The discussion took place during a visit paid by a delegation from the British Embassy to Dubai Customs. In addition to the Consul General, the delegation comprised Steve Baker, Regional Manager of Fiscal Crime Liaison Office, Robert Gray, Head of Fiscal Crime Liaison Office Network, and Alun Watkins, Fiscal Crime Liaison Officer.
The high-level deputation was received by the Director of Dubai Customs, accompanied by Ahmed Al Khuroosi, Director of Customs Intelligence Department, and Faisal Eissa Lutfi, Senior Manager of Regional & International Affairs.
Mr Hobart congratulated H.E. Ahmed Mahboob on his recent appointment by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, as Director of Dubai Customs. He expressed the British desire to boost bilateral relations with Dubai Customs, particularly in regard to exchanging information and experiences to build human capacity in both sides and strengthen efforts to combat illicit trade. He applauded DC’s achievements in this area over the past years, which came as a result of developing advanced systems that helped tighten its control on consignments, expedite clearance procedures, and boost international efforts supporting legitimate trade. “We strongly believe that cooperation and sharing of information and experiences with a customs administration well known for its long standing expertise in this area, such as Dubai Customs, will be a tremendous help for us in achieving our goals,” he said.
The British Consul General in Dubai noted that “Dubai is a major regional hub for trade between East and West. Joining hands with Dubai Customs serves the international trade and maintains its legitimacy, in the light of the cutting-edge IT systems Dubai Customs deploys, namely the Risk Engine and the Advanced Container Scanning System operated in JAFZA, which we previously had the chance to get introduced to and find out the many benefits they brought about towards achieving legitimate trade and streamlined cargo clearance and release to keep pace with the growing container capacity at Jebel Ali Port, ahead of World Expo 2020.”
H.E. Ahmed Mahboob welcomed the ideas put forth by the visiting delegation and indicated that Dubai Customs strives to enhance international measures in combating counterfeiting and piracy to protect world economies, consumers’ health and the rights of trademark owners who spent a lot of money to create these trademarks and develop production lines.
Mahboob said: ” Strengthening customs cooperation with the British Customs will enhance bilateral trade between Dubai and the UK, which topped the list of Dubai’s European trading partners in 2013, with a total trade value of Dh54.3 billion - Dh41.9 billion for imports, Dh2.6 billion exports and Dh9.8 billion re-exports.”