Customs authorities in Abu Dhabi foiled an attempt to smuggle 129 diamonds with a value of $65,000 into the country after a passenger hid the precious stones in his socks.
A source at Abu Dhabi General Directorate of Customs said that the 25-year old man acted suspiciously as he arrived at the UAE capital’s international airport on an unspecified evening this week.
Authorities said that the suspect did not declare the stones in an attempt to avoid paying customs fee on the diamonds, which were concealed in a small bag in one of his socks. A file has been opened against the man, although customs officials did not specify what legal action would be taken.
During the same evening, customs said they also apprehended a 24-year old man who in a separate case had attempted to smuggle unnamed narcotics hidden inside medicine boxes.
Last year, South African police foiled an attempt by a Lebanese man to smuggle $2.25m worth of polished diamonds out of the country that he had ingested. The man had been bound for Dubai, a major Middle East diamond trading hub.
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