Dubai Customs foil passenger’s attempt to smuggle 9.6kg of cocaine

Dubai Customs employs different methods to effectively combat smuggling attempts. Courtesy Dubai Customs

Dubai Customs officers seized more than nine kilograms of cocaine being smuggled through Dubai International Airport's Terminal 3.

The drugs were concealed in the inner linings of a passenger’s bags.

“Our inspection officers suspected this passenger coming from a foreign country, who had 3 pieces of luggage with him,” said Khalifa bin Shahin, acting manager, Terminal 3.

“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.”

A search of the man’s luggage revealed he was carrying 9.6kg of pure cocaine.

The suspect and the bags were handed over to Dubai Police.

The date of the incident was not revealed.

“Despite the creative tricks some passengers use to hide prohibited materials, our highly trained inspectors and advanced systems can thwart all smuggling attempts,” Mr Shahin said.

Ibrahim Kamali, director of Passenger Operations Department, said Dubai Customs employs different tools and technologies to effectively combat smuggling attempts.

These include the Dubai Airport Smart Bag Inspection System and Dubai Customs’ Smart Risk Engine, which was developed in-house to track and intercept suspicious shipments.

Dubai Customs revealed the news of its latest drug seizure ahead of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on Saturday.