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29 March 2024

Drugs consignment seized by customs

The consignment containing the seized pills. (SUPPLIED)

Published
By Staff Writer

An attempt to smuggle into the country, a large consignment of medicinal drugs that can also cause addiction, was foiled by Dubai Customs recently.

The drugs were hidden in an electronic gadget that had arrived at the Dubai International Airport Free Zone via air cargo dispatch from an Arab country.

A customs inspector became suspicious about it, and upon inspection it was discovered that 1,000 pills of the drug were hidden in the unit.

Omar Ahmad Al Muhairi, Chief Director of Air Cargo Operations at Dubai Customs, said the salesman to whom the consignment was sent, confessed during interrogation that he had received a telephone call from the country of the consignment's origin. He was instructed to receive and hand it over to another person for a certain sum of money.

The confiscated pills were sent to the Ministry of Health, where it was found that they were of a drug listed as a first-degree controlled medicine.

The ministry's report stated that this type of drug is usually used by addicts and using it without medical supervision causes addiction, in addition to other serious side effects including heart attacks, difficulties in breathing, hallucination and others symptoms similar to those induced by heroin.

Shipped in this way and in such large quantities, it was illegal. Studies show that addicts of the drug outnumber cocaine and heroin addicts. The drug is used by a large number of youth and many cases have been registered for using such pills by addicts in the country, added the report.

Dubai Customs has referred the case to Dubai Police for necessary legal action, Al Muhairi said.