Customs foils 1.3KG crystal meth smuggling at DXB

dubai — An Asian passenger’s bid to smuggle 1.3kg of narcotic crystal meth, worth around Dh40,000, into the UAE was foiled by the Dubai Customs officials.

The contraband was concealed in the inner lining of the suitcase of the passenger at Dubai International Airport.

Ibrahim Kama li, director of passengeroperations department, said as the passenger looked confused, the officials suspected him. “The suitcase was thoroughly inspected and the narcotics recovered.”

The smuggler was handed over to the General Directorate for Drug Control at Dubai Police.

“Dubai Customs uses the best inspectors and the latest technologies to thwart any smuggling attempt and protect the country against the hazards of illegal goods,” Kamali said.

Dr Mohamed Hamed, a pharmacist, said that crystal meth is a form of methamphetamine. “It is a white crystalline drug that some people illegally consume by snorting, smoking or injecting.”

It is a powerful and extremely addictive man-made stimulant and its use can lead to severe physiological and psychological dependence, he added. “The clear crystal chunks, similar in appearance to actual ice or glass, are odourless and colourless.”

The effects of narcotic crystals include suppressed appetite, interference with sleeping behaviour, mood swings and unpredictability, tremors and convulsions, increased blood pressure and irregular heart rate, he elaborated.