Customs inspectors at Dubai Cargo Village seized 3 kg of opium narcotics which were subtly stuffed inside a motorcycle seat as part of a postal parcel transiting from an African country and heading to an Asian country through Dubai.
Incidents of the case started when a Customs inspector working at Dubai Cargo Village suspected the parcel while carrying out the routine inspection procedures which contained motorcycle’s spare parts, as stated in the customs declaration. Thus, it was examined through the x-ray scan which detected unusual lumpiness in the motorcycle seat.
When checked manually, the inspector found two meticulously sealed reels with opium found inside. The Dubai Customs mobile lab which comprises advanced checkup equipment to detect narcotics and radioactive substances was immediately utilized. It confirmed that the seized sample was certainly opium.
Mr. Omar Ahmed Al Muhairi, Senior Manager of Air Cargo Operations at Dubai Customs said that the seizure along with its record were transferred to the General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police to complete the necessary legal action. Inline with the mutual coordination and cooperation between both authorities, the Anti-Narcotics General Department confirmed that the contraband was opium narcotics.
Mr. Al Muhairi commended the inspector’s vigilance in discovering the narcotics as well as the collective efforts of the customs inspection cadre at Dubai Customs in maintaining Dubai status as a safe hub for international trade.
He noted that these efforts are in parallel with Dubai Customs vision towards being the leading customs administration in the world supporting legitimate trade saying that protection of society is considered a fundamental strategic objective.
Mr. Al Muhairi further noted that Dubai Customs gives much attention to combating the smuggling of narcotics into the local market or any other country through Dubai. “Customs efforts are well-received by the INTERPOL and World Customs Organization (WCO) and World Trade Organization (WTO). This reinstates the trust put in Dubai internationally. Therefore, the Department is keen on choosing the best qualified inspection cadre and develop their professional competencies and inspection skills by providing them with specialized training courses and equipping them with the most hi-tech checkup machines and the practical knowledge to operate them. All these facts play a major role in foiling several smuggling operations.
He also pointed out that Air Cargo Operations Department completed 73 narcotics seizures in 2010, 39 of which were at the Post Inspection Center and 34 others at Dubai Cargo Village. All comprised different kinds of narcotics including hashish, opium, heroin, cocaine and crystal. Whereas the used smuggling techniques varied such as using spare parts, kids’ clothes and accessories, domestic and electronic machines, wooden toys and many others.