Dubai Customs thwarts smuggling of 73 kg of crystal meth concealed in vehicle parts shipment

Dubai – 28 January 2020:   A team from Jebel Ali Customs Center in cooperation with the Customs Intelligence Department thwarted an attempt to smuggle 73 kg of crystal meth coming from a neighbouring country. 

The drugs were concealed inside vehicle spare parts, and although they were hidden very skilfully but the inspectors' alertness, vigilance and experience helped them uncover the illegal shipment. The smugglers thought they could trick inspection officers of Dubai Customs and evade the smart and sophisticated detection systems and procedures. 

The Smart Risk Engine, developed in-house by Dubai Customs using the latest AI applications, recognizes the upcoming risky shipments and creates a profile for different expected risks. The risk engine classified the spare parts shipment as risky. 

“We work together with the Intelligence Department and based on the reports released by their risk engine we move to thwart any smuggling attempts in order to protect our society from the hazards of drugs,” Yousef Al Hashimi, Director of Jebel Ali Customs Centers Management. “We have built a very advanced system to curb these illegal attempts, and this seizure reveals the level of professionalism and skills our staff have.

“We keep developing our competencies in the field in order to protect everyone from the hazards of illegitimate goods. The Smart Scanning System is able to scan 150 containers per hour without any human intervention. We have 6 scanning systems in Jebel Ali which means we can check 900 containers per hour, and we work in close cooperation with the General Department of Anti Narcotic of Dubai Police who we heartily thank for their valuable efforts in supporting us.”

Shuaib Al Suwaidi, Director of Customs Intelligence Department commented:

“We enhanced the security of our entry points with the most advanced systems to protect our society from any threats of these illegal items, and, at the same time, support legitimate trade as part of our vision in Dubai Customs. The Smart Risk Engine, which was developed in-house, plays an essential role in intercepting suspicious shipments based on data fed by different channels. Around 97% of shipments are classified by the risk engine as non-hazardous and approved in less than two minutes.