Dubai Customs thwart 133 smuggling attempts

The investigations and seizures were undertaken by Terminal 2 customs centre workers at Dubai International Airport.

133 of the seizures were related to smuggling and 33 related to customs violations.

Dubai Customs

One of the most memorable seizures in 2022 was the discovery of 36.76 kilograms of marijuana cunningly hidden among food items in two bags belonging to a passenger arriving from an African country.

Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director-General of Dubai Customs and CEO of the Ports, Customs, and Free Zone Corporation lauded the efforts of staff at the centre and their unwavering dedication to improving customs services for passengers.

Musabih said customs centre staff at city airports are constantly progressing and providing better services and amenities for tourism and travel, aligning with the UAE’s ambitious plans to boost the number of travellers and tourists and cement its position as a global and regional hub for travel and tourism.

The UAE is set to enhance its critical role as a hub for global sustainability efforts by hosting the COP28 global climate change conference in 2023 at Expo Dubai.

Musabih reiterated that Customs is committed to keeping up with these plans by continuously improving its services, implementing its strategic plan 2021-2026 aimed at consolidating its position as a world leader in secure customs.

The Director General of Dubai Customs said that the Department is committed to supporting Dubai and the UAE’s ability to attract tourists and travellers from all over the world.

The city’s Customs workers are supported by the latest customs devices and technologies, using the best smart applications for information technology and artificial intelligence.

The Smart iDeclare application, for example, which was developed in-house, enables travellers to electronically declare the goods, cash, and precious metals they have in their possession in less than five minutes before arriving at the border crossings in the city.