A group of photos for the Tramadol haul after being seized
Dubai customs inspectors at Dubai International Airport Free Zone Inspection Center foiled a bid to smuggle a haul of drugs coming from an Asian country comprising 276,440 pills of prohibited drugs identified as Tramadol.
Mr. Omar Al Mehairy, Senior Manager of Air Cargo Operations said that the cargo was seized at the Inspection Center of Dubai Airport Free Zone which was suspected after being x-rayed. On searching it manually, tramadol pills were uncovered in huge quantities and were transferred to the Ministry of Health as the specialized authority in this matter seeking confirmation. The report came back positive stating that the drugs were of prohibited nature and are not fit for human intake for nonmedical purposes and is therefore categorized under controlled medications class A. hence, the contraband along with the case were transferred to the Legal Affairs Department at Dubai Customs which issued a decision to confiscate the goods and destroy them.
Al Mehairy stated that the medicine is listed under the internationally prohibited drugs and a decision was issued in the UAE against its intake or dealing with it without a medical prescription. He pointed out as well that the cargo lacked the importing permit, besides the fact that the cargo owner does not fulfill the requirements of completing the clearance importing process for this cargo.
He further noted that Tramadol is a misused drug by some and is used as a painkiller for moderate and severe aches which if taken in large quantities might give the same effects of narcotics to the addicts. It has different brand names such as Tramal, Amadol, Tramax, Contramal, Ultradol and Tramundin.
Al Mehairy warned against misuse of the Tramadol in order that complications and serious side effects could be avoided. The painkiller contains opium used to cure severe pains including post-surgery patients, childbirth and C-Sections and cancer-related pains. If misused, Tramadol causes addiction such as the case with Morphine.
Several death cases were recorded as a result of excessive dose whether intentionally or unintentionally. Excessive intake of the drug causes shortness of breath, sleep, skeletal muscles relaxation, coma, spasms, slow heartbeat, low blood pressure, cardiac arrest and death, in addition to other side effects such as decreasing iris size, vomiting, cold skin, cardiac atrophy, drowsiness, constipation, nausea, confusion, hallucination, uncertain temper, chills, itch, hive, mal-digestion, swelling and blurry vision.
Moreover, the medicine is sometimes used among the youth to treat sexual intercourse and ejaculation disorders which might cause addiction, that is because it resembles the chemical properties of Morphine and Codeine.
It is worth mentioning that the air Cargo Operations at Dubai Customs has foiled 16 smuggling attempts of Tramadol in 2010 and 2011 at the Free Zone Inspection Center and Dubai Cargo Village Inspection Center with a total of around 3 million pills seized. Dubai Customs constantly cooperate with its partners to combat smuggling of all types of prohibited and restricted goods in line with its keenness to protecting the community.