Dubai Customs foil attempt to smuggle 6kg of marijuana in peanut paste packets

Passenger began to act suspiciously when his bag was taken to be scanned

Customs officers at Dubai International Airport have foiled a man’s attempt to smuggle more than 5kg of marijuana into the emirate. All photos: Dubai Customs

Inspectors became suspicious of the traveller when he showed fear when his bags were sent for an X-ray.

Customs officers searched the luggage and found the marijuana hidden inside six small bags that contained peanut paste.

Customs officers at Dubai International Airport have foiled a man’s attempt to smuggle nearly six kilograms of marijuana into the emirate.

Inspectors spotted a man who had arrived from an African country acting suspiciously when his bags were taken to be X-rayed, a statement from officials said on Wednesday.

It was not revealed when the incident happened.

Officers searched the man's luggage by hand and found 5.9kg of marijuana hidden inside six small bags containing peanut paste.

“The Customs smart inspection system at Dubai airports ... is highly efficient,” said Ibrahim Al Kamali, director of the passenger operations department.

“In addition to that, our staff is highly skilled and we use latest inspection technologies in our work.”

Mr Al Kamali said Dubai Customs is the first line of defence against the influx drug traffickers.

In March, customs officials confiscated 5.6kg of cocaine from a woman who arrived in Dubai from Latin America.

Some of the cocaine was found inside a secret pocket in the woman’s bag.

Another 2.4kg of the drug were found in shampoo and moisturiser bottles.

Dubai Police help thwart drug traffickers: in pictures