Dubai Customs intercepts 9.2 kg of Heroin at DXB

Ahmed bin Lahej: DC adopts the world’s best practices in joint coordination and information exchange

Dubai - 25 April 2015: Dubai customs inspectors at Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 foiled a bid to smuggle in 9.2 kg of pure heroin. The contraband was found skilfully concealed in the lining of an Asian passenger’s bag.

“It all started when DC’s inspection team at the terminal received a tip-off that a suspected bag arriving on an African flight was lying unclaimed at the airport,” said Ahmed Abdullah bin Lahej, Director of Passenger Operations at Dubai Customs. 

Dubai Customs’ inspectors and rangers immediately took off to inspect the suspected bag at its location, he added.

The x-ray screening of the luggage revealed the presence of an abnormal density at the bottom of the bag. After carrying out an on-the-spot laboratory test on a sample of the material contained in the bag using Al Kashif’s high-end mobile laboratory facility, the substance was found to be heroin. 

Following investigation with the concerned authorities at the airport, the luggage turned out to be belonging to an Asian passenger, who had been arrested a month ago in the Transit Hall at DXB by Dubai Police on earlier charges within the country, while he was attempting to depart into an African country. The suspect was brought and the bag was opened with his presence and 9.2 kg of heroin were extracted. 

Ahmed bin Lahej said: “The smuggling attempts of ill-fated smugglers will never cease, neither will they cease inventing new deceptive tricks and techniques of illicit trafficking. But they can’t bypass the protective shield of Dubai Customs officers who are always vigilant and fully equipped with state-of-the-art technologies to deter any tries to jeopardize the security of our society. Meanwhile, Dubai Customs adopts the world’s best practices in terms of joint coordination, intelligence and information exchange, besides maintaining strong ties with all operating entities at Dubai International Airport.” 

Bin Lahej also highlight the major role Al Kashif Vehicle played in this operation , which is a mini eco-friendly cart, licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority in Dubai and meets all legal specifications. It is geared up with 16 high-tech inspection and detection devices, each of which designed for certain types of contraband. The vehicle, deployed in airports, has been developed in-house with the efforts of national staff from within DC. The invention is also a winning model of the Innovative Idea Category at the 2013-2014 17th DGEP Awards. Al Kashif has notably increased the volume of seized narcotics and restricted medications, allowing inspectors to assess suspected items instantly on site. 

Bin Lahej also stressed Dubai Customs keenness on combating all smuggling attempts of contraband, a goal that is achieved by the utilization of an efficient, trained and highly skilled cadre. They are continually being trained and updated on the latest means and cunning techniques of drugs identification and interception.