Dubai Customs marks World Customs Day, launches Accredited Center for Training Customs Inspection Equipment Operators

Dubai, UAE – 26 January 2026: Dubai Customs is joining the world in celebrating World Customs Day, celebrated annually on 26 January, an occasion that reflects international efforts to enhance community safety and support secure trade. The World Customs Organization’s 2026 theme, “Customs protecting society through vigilance and commitment,” highlights the importance of vigilance and commitment in safeguarding communities and ensuring their stability, while highlighting the pivotal role of customs authorities within the global security system and their firm stance against prohibited and smuggled materials.

Launch of a new flagship training project

In this context, Dubai Customs unveiled its new flagship project, the “Accredited Center for Training Customs Inspection Equipment Operators,” launched to enhance the efficiency of customs inspection and develop inspectors’ skills in line with the highest international standards. The initiative strengthens community safety while supporting trade, positioning customs procedures as a global model of vigilance and commitment.

Strategic focus on human capital

Dr. Abdulla Busenad, Director General of Dubai Customs, said: “We are pleased to join countries around the world in celebrating World Customs Day, which marks the anniversary of the establishment of the World Customs Organization. On this occasion, we are delighted to announce the launch of the ‘Accredited Center for Training Customs Inspection Equipment Operators,’ which represents a strategic pillar in the community protection system by building qualified customs competencies capable of handling security risks with high efficiency and vigilance.

“This pioneering project embodies the practical application of the World Customs Organization’s 2026 theme through a sustainable training and accreditation framework that ensures the highest levels of compliance and operational readiness in customs work. At Dubai Customs, we place human capital development at the heart of our strategy, based on our firm belief that human competence is the decisive factor in the success of advanced technologies and modern systems. The project also contributes to achieving a balance between security control and the acceleration of customs procedures, enhancing customer confidence and supporting Dubai’s trade competitiveness.”

Customs inspection as the first line of defense

For his part, Yasser Al Musallami, Senior Customs Affairs Consultant and Supervisor of the Customs Inspection Sector at Dubai Customs, explained that customs inspection is the cornerstone of the community protection system, serving as the first line of defense in safeguarding the country’s borders, combating smuggling, and addressing security risks, thereby reinforcing the stability enjoyed by the UAE.

He added: “The ‘Accredited Center for Training Customs Inspection Equipment Operators’ contributes to raising inspectors’ efficiency and improving their ability to use X-ray screening equipment with a high level of proficiency, ensuring faster operations without compromising detection accuracy.”

Enhancing inspection operations through international best practices

Meanwhile, Khaled Ahmed, Director of the Passenger Operations Department at Dubai Customs, said that the project is one of the most prominent strategic initiatives launched by Dubai Customs to develop the customs inspection system using X-ray screening technology, in line with international best practices and standards. The project is driven by a clear vision aimed at enhancing the efficiency and safety of customs inspection operations through the qualification and certification of X-ray equipment operators, ensuring detection accuracy, speed of procedures, and community protection.

Integrated training, licensing, and evaluation framework

He explained that the project aims to ensure inspectors possess the necessary knowledge and skills to operate X-ray systems and professionally analyze images, while enhancing early detection capabilities for prohibited or dangerous materials. It also seeks to strike a balance between security requirements and the facilitation of passenger movement and legitimate trade, and to unify training, licensing, and evaluation standards in accordance with internationally accredited frameworks.

The project is based on an integrated system for training, licensing, and competency assessment, forming an effective quality control mechanism that enables the identification of strengths and areas for improvement in inspectors’ performance and supports the continuous development of training programs. It includes specialized theoretical training programs comprising no fewer than 30 hours of computer-based training (CBT) that simulate real working environments, supported by extensive image libraries of prohibited and restricted items displayed from multiple angles to enhance visual analysis skills. This is complemented by a minimum of 40 hours of practical field training under the supervision of licensed and experienced inspectors to translate theoretical knowledge into hands-on expertise, in addition to continuous periodic training throughout the year to maintain efficiency and readiness. Developmental training focuses on emerging security developments, local and international threats, technological advancements, and procedural changes, alongside regular assessments, licensing, and re-licensing through periodic tests and continuous evaluations, with comprehensive performance records maintained throughout the inspector’s service.

Role of Dubai Logistics Academy

Dubai Logistics Academy, the leading academic arm of Dubai Customs, is responsible for delivering the project’s training programs in accordance with globally approved best-practice curricula, contributing to the development of qualified customs professionals capable of keeping pace with evolving security challenges.