Dubai: Dubai Customs inspection officers at Terminal 3 have seized around 9.6kg of cocaine concealed in the inner lining of three bags belonging to a passenger coming from a foreign country.
“The UAE is a global example to follow in combating drugs and safeguarding the society from their hazards,” said Ibrahim Kamali, Director of Passenger Operations Department, Dubai Customs.
Making the disclosure ahead of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on June 26, Kamali said there are different programmes, systems, technologies and plans in place to effectively combat and thwart any smuggling attempts. These include the Dubai Airport Smart Bag Inspection System that helps in detecting drugs and other prohibited materials.
Dubai Customs’ Smart Risk Engine, developed in-house, is one of the key systems that can track and intercept suspicious shipments.
Khalifa bin Shahin, Acting Manager, Terminal 3, said: “Our inspection officers suspected this passenger who had three pieces of luggage with him. At the checkpoint, the passenger denied carrying any illegitimate goods, but he looked confused and his body language showed he was not telling the truth. The inspectors searched the bags thoroughly and found 9.6kg of pure cocaine concealed skillfully inside the bags. The suspect and the bags were handed over to the police. Our priority is to safeguard society from the perils of drugs. Despite the creative ploys some passengers use to hide prohibited materials, our highly trained inspectors and advanced systems can catch them.”
