Dubai Customs inspectors at Dubai International Airport foiled a bid to smuggle over 6 kg of marijuana possessed by an African passenger hidden in the bottoms of baggage loaded with dry fish and food items in an attempt to evade customs men. The entire operation was named “Fish Bait” accordingly.
Mr. Ali Al Mugahwi, Director of Airports Operations at Dubai Customs stated that a Dubai Customs inspector suspected the African passenger at Airport Terminal 1 who was carrying two bags.
Arriving at the inspection point, the passenger was stopped and asked about the contents of the two bags. He claimed they contained clothes. The first bag was examined manually and unlike his allegations, dry fish (with bad smell) were found when searched in addition to some food items. Lying about the contents of the bag increased the inspectors’ doubts, which made them pull the dry fish and the food items out then a plastic layer (unreal bottom)was discovered at the bottom of the bag.
Upon inspection, the Customs inspector found 8 carbon paper rolls wrapped in duct tape with brown weeds inside, which turned out to be marijuana narcotics weighing 3.08 kg put under the dry fish. Subsequently, the second baggage was examined and it also turned out to be concealing 9 paper rolls of the same contraband weighing 3.16 kg with the same smuggling technique as well thinking he could mislead Customs inspectors. The total of the confiscated narcotics weighed 6.24 kg.
During the interrogations conducted by Customs investigators, the passenger claimed he was handed the baggage by someone in his country and intended to deliver it to an accomplice in the UAE. Hence, a seizure report along with the offender were transferred to the Anti-Narcotics Section of the General Department of Dubai Police as per the mutual cooperation and coordination between Customs and the Police.
Al Mugahwi confirmed Dubai Customs keenness to combat all smuggling attempts of narcotics and other types of contrabands and prohibited items by relying on its highly-qualified national inspection cadre who are constantly enrolled in specialized courses on how to identify narcotics and the different smuggling techniques used.