Dh3m smuggling attempt foiled
dubai — Vigilant Dubai Customs inspectors have managed to foil a passenger’s attempt to smuggle 76 luxury wristwatches and six diamond-studded jewelleries, worth around Dh3 million in total.
The suspect, a European national, arrived at the airport onboard a Dubai-bound flight from an east Asian country, Ibrahim Kamali, director of passenger operations at Dubai Customs, said. “He was stopped by customs officers at Terminal 3 of the Dubai International Airport, carrying the haul of fancy jewellery and watches strapped around his body under his clothes.”
Inspectors of the passenger operations department became suspicious about the man’s behaviour and carefully monitored him till he arrived at the customs zone, Kamali added. “He was then Xrayed with a full-body scanner, which revealed smuggled jewellery and watches skillfully concealed under his clothes.”
A seizure report was initiated on the smuggling case and the suspect was referred to the competent authorities, along with the seized items to take legal action. “The suspect was trying to illegally import the precious items into the country while evading payment of customs duty,” Kamali said. “But the method he used proved to be a failure in front of the efficient inspection and security system of Dubai Customs.”
Kamali said his officers were alert to any such smuggling attempts and ready to tackle anyone suspected. “The seizure is a case of smuggling and duty evasion, which our inspectors are always vigilant about and adept to abort, so as to protect customs revenues and Dubai’s economy.”
Some people believe this technique of smuggling dutiable, mustdeclare goods in commercial quantities inside their clothes to avoid paying customs fees works, he said. “But the Dubai Airports is equipped with scanning technology that detects any objects in people’s bodies.”
No matter how crafty the methods used by smugglers are, they will not get past the Dubai Customs’ technology, professionalism and body language expertise, he said. ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com