2.42 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

3.4kg narcotics worth Dh5m seized at Dubai airport

Published
By Wam

Dubai Customs has foiled a bid to smuggle 3.4 kg of cocaine concealed inside the clothes of a passenger coming from a South American country. 

Ali Al Mugahwi, Director of Airport Operations Department at Dubai Customs, announced that the passenger raised the suspicions of an inspector as he approached the customs checkpoint at Dubai International Airport, Terminal 3.

The officer noticed that the passenger was trying to mingle with other passengers and took advantage of the traffic at the checkpoint to pass unnoticed. At the checkpoint, he denied concealing anything that must be declared upon inspector's query.

The inspector after observing signs that indicated the passenger was carrying a prohibited substance, referred his luggage for manual inspection, but nothing suspicious was found. However, some of the shirts in a suitcase weighed more than they should be and were analysed by the Al Kashif vehicle, recently introduced by Dubai Customs. The shirts showed that they contain pure cocaine weighing 3.4 kg worth Dh5 million.

The Al Kashif vehicle is deployed at the airport to examine suspicious materials found in the passengers’ baggage, as well as any medications in their possession. Since being introduced at the end of 2013, Al Kashif has helped accelerate and streamline passengers’ clearance procedures, as well as protect the country against narcotic smuggling bids.

Al Magahwi added that after interrogation, the passenger confessed to possessing the narcotics which were planned to be delivered to someone in the UAE, in exchange for a certain sum of money. 

As a routine procedure, the smuggler, seizure report and seized narcotics were handed over to the General Department of Anti-Narcotics at Dubai Police for further action.