Dubai Customs helps Australia carry out its largest drugs bust since 2019

Joint operation succeeds in seizing about two tonnes of methamphetamines found inside shipping containers in a Sydney port

Dubai Customs has made several successful drugs seizures this year. Photo: Dubai Customs

A joint operation between Australian authorities and Dubai Customs has led to the seizure of two tonnes of methamphetamines worth Dh4.04 billion.

The haul was found inside marble slabs shipped from a neighbouring country in a Sydney port and is Australia's largest drugs bust since 2019.

Director general of Dubai Customs Ahmed Mahboob Musabih said the organisation's tracking and analysis of the shipments — the findings of which were immediately passed to Australian authorities — was fundamental to the success of the operation.

The chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayemon, said that the success of the operation was a result of the support and directives of the top leadership to work on developing solid relations between the UAE and various countries in the field of combating organised crime.

He said Dubai Customs was committed to supporting security authorities in the prevention of drugs smuggling around the world.

Mr bin Sulayemon also said intelligence work was under way to find information related to other smuggling operations and that the organisation was working at both a local and global level “to present an international unique model that distinguishes Dubai on the world map”.

Other operations throughout the year have resulted in the seizure of methamphetamines in air shipments that were scheduled to pass through to Dubai.

The shipments are believed to have been used by cross-border criminal gangs for smuggling operations between South America and Australia.

Mohammed Al Suwaidi, director of the Intelligence Department at Dubai Customs, said that Australian authorities arrested members of a gang in August of this year after finding 748 kilograms of methamphetamines hidden in 24 containers that arrived at a berth at Port Botany, while another 1,060kg of methamphetamines were found in 19 containers that arrived at the same port.