Now declare your belongings in 5 minutes at DXB

DUBAI: Dubai Customs has handled 21 million pieces of luggage for 11.8 million passengers on board 89,000 flights arriving into Dubai International Airport in the first half of 2019, Director General of Dubai Customs Ahmed Mahboob Musabih said on Tuesday.

During his tour of Terminals 1,2, and 3 of Dubai International Airport, he acknowledged the highly skilled services of Dubai Customs at Dubai International Airport, the first airport worldwide to have automated customs procedures and facilitation of passenger traffic during peak seasons such as Hajj and holiday seasons.

“We keep innovating to help passengers visiting Dubai have a pleasant experience and to save them time and effort. For example, we recently rolled out “ideclare” application which enables passengers to Dubai declare their belongings if needed in only five minutes, rather than 45 minutes,” Musabih said.

The passenger operations department made 928 seizures during the first half of 2019 (770 criminal seizures and 158 customs seizures).

Khalid Ahmed, deputy director of Passenger Operations Department, talked about the department’s achievements in facilitating passengers’ travel and securing the airport and the emirate from any smuggling attempts.

Dubai Customs inspection officers thwarted different drug smuggling attempts and seized 1,129 kg of cocaine, 554 tramadol pills, 199 grams of cannabis and 16,800 e-cigarettes.