253 tonnes of red sandal seized from 2011

Dubai Customs has succeeded in countering attempts to smuggle red sandalwood, listed as an endangered species and prohibited to trade in under the CITES International Convention and local legislations.

Jebel Ali Customs has thwarted numerous attempts to smuggle 253 tons of red sandalwood in 13 successive seizures, from 2011 till date.

Ahmed Abdulla bin Lahej, Director of Jebel Ali Customs Centres Department, said, "In Dubai Customs, our commitment to preserving the natural environment and combating trade in endangered animals and plants listed under CITES motivates us to inhibit and thwart attempts to smuggle such commodities, in line with our keenness to stop the entry or transit of substances prohibited under international agreements. Dubai will continue to be the destination for safe trade that doesn’t pose risks to human health and security, the economy and the environment, or contradict global measures to protect nature."

Bin Lahej continued, ‘‘Inspectors are backed by the latest technology on which we rely in our efforts to combat smuggling, most importantly, high-tech inspection devices such as x-ray screening.  In addition, Dubai Customs’ Risk Engine, developed internally at the department to determine risky shipments that need to be inspected, provides us with comprehensive information that allow us to diagnose shipments beforehand".

 In addition to substances prohibited under CITES, inspection operations counter attempts to smuggle narcotics, drugs used only under medical supervision, counterfeit and IPR infringing products, dual-use materials and biological and chemical substances prohibited under international conventions.  

Bin Lahej believes that successful operations carried out by Dubai Customs in thwarting smuggling attempts, discourage smugglers from continuing their illegal activity, and that knowing the hardships in smuggling prohibited materials through Dubai helps to limit these bids thanks to Dubai Customs efforts.