Dubai: Hatta Customs Centre in Dubai made 538 seizures in 2022, it was revealed on Sunday.
Dubai Customs also said the Centre completed 87,400 transactions and handled 78,600 cargo trucks and 587,000 vehicles last year.
During his visit to the Hatta Border Crossing, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director-general of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, said: “Creativity at Dubai Customs has become part of the daily work routine within our quest to develop customs procedures and techniques at the local and international levels.”
Musabih was accompanied by members of the Customs’ senior management who viewed the smart systems used by the Centre to facilitate trade and thwart any smuggling attempts.
Smart buggy
‘Seyaj Buggy’ is the latest innovation that has recently joined Seyaj Initiative, which was developed by Dubai Customs to ensure better control at ports in Dubai. The Buggy is used to search under trucks and vehicles when suspecting hazardous cargo. It can go through narrow places and take high-quality 360-degree images and videos in a 30-metre range.
Dubai Customs said attaches great importance to the development of truck scanning inspection systems to efficiently detect suspicious shipments and thwart any smuggling attempts.
“Inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who said government innovation is the basis for any development, and is the driver to shape the future, we equip the customs centres with the latest and most advanced technologies to facilitate trade and streamline passenger traffic,” Musabih said.
“With this in mind, we set up a process to handle employees’ creative ideas, study them and turn them into projects. Creativity has become one of the five pillars of Dubai Customs Strategic Plan 2021-2026.”
Key crossing
Muabih added that the Hatta Border Crossing is a very important crossing for trade and tourism. The Crossing plays a major role in facilitating passenger traffic and trade between Dubai and Oman and the GCC countries. The Crossing played a key role in meeting the needs of the local market for food commodities and building materials during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hamid Mohammed, director of the Inland Customs Centres Management at Dubai Customs, said: “The importance of Hatta Crossing has increased recently, as the value of Dubai trade is growing noticeably. Our customs inspectors’ vigilance and dedication coupled with the smart systems in place has been crucial in curbing the entry of illegitimate goods into the emirate.”
