Dubai Customs seizes 6kg of heroin

Customs inspectors have foiled a drug smuggling operation after discovering more than 6 kilograms of heroin and 46 grams of opium.

DUBAI // Customs inspectors have foiled a drug-smuggling operation, seizing more than 6 kilograms of heroin and 46 grams of opium.

Dubai Customs officers caught an Asian passenger who was trying to smuggle the drugs in his baggage through Terminal 2 at Dubai International Airport.

Falah Al Samak, director of the Customs operations department for Terminal 2, said the man was acting suspiciously as he went through passport control.

“Screening his bags showed secret pockets that, after a manual search, revealed 6.25kg of heroin,” Customs said. “A further search uncovered the presence of another dark-coloured substance, which was later found out to be 46.2g of opium.

“Subjected to interrogation by investigators of the passenger operations department, the passenger admitted possession of the narcotics.”

The passenger and drugs have been handed to the police anti-narcotics division for further investigation.

In the past nine months at the airport, Dubai Customs has uncovered 25 hauls of heroin with a total weight of 60kg.

The biggest was 24kg of pure heroin found in hidden pockets in five travelling bags belonging to an Asian resident of Dubai.

Mr Al Samak said that Dubai Customs and the operations department aimed to make it as easy as possible for legitimate flow of travel and trade through airports.

Inspectors are given special training including drug types, smuggling techniques and reading body language.