Dubai Customs officers seize 3.7kg of marijuana hidden in airport passenger's car parts

Drugs were skilfully concealed in air filters for vehicles

The drugs were hidden in engine air filters packed into luggage. Photo: Dubai Customs

A passenger has been arrested at Dubai International Airport after customs officers found 3.7kg of marijuana hidden in spare car parts in his baggage.

Dubai Customs discovered the drugs when African man's goods were scanned by X-ray, which revealed abnormal density in the cylindrical vehicle engine air filters that were among his goods.

Growing suspicious, one of the officers decided to inspect and dismantle the spare parts and found small rolls skilfully concealed around the air filters.

Officers carried out testing and analysis of the substance found in the rolls with its narcotics detector, which revealed it to be marijuana, weighing a total of 3.7 kilograms.

The suspect, who arrived in Dubai from an African country, was handed over to the relevant authorities.

Khalid Ahmed, senior manager at Passenger Operations Terminal 1, said Dubai Customs had introduced several smart control systems and new technology to combat smugglers.

“This includes modernisation and advancement of our inspection systems and passenger luggage screening equipment, coupled with capacity building and raising the efficiency of customs inspectors to allow them to better fulfil their duty in protecting and securing borders against the smuggling of illegal substances that endanger society,” he said.

He said Dubai Customs inspectors were regularly trained and updated on the latest tricks and methods used by drug smugglers.

“They are equipped with the knowledge and new techniques to detect any drug smuggling attempts, which contributed to a noticeable increase in the number of successful drug seizures,” Mr Ahmed said.

In June, Dubai Customs said officers thwarted nearly 1,000 attempts to smuggle drugs into the emirate in the first four months of this year.

Captagon pills, crystal meth, heroin, marijuana and opium were the drugs most commonly seized from January to April.

A total of 936 attempts to smuggle drugs, including 222 at the main airports, were foiled, which was a significant increase of 378 from the same period in 2021.