Dubai Customs announced that they have seized a total of 1,273 illicit drug shipments at land, sea, and air borders. These seizures were made possible through the use of drones and other advanced technologies that have significantly shortened the inspection time from 6 hours to only 5 minutes. The seized drugs included tramadol tablets, Captagon, opium, heroin, cannabis seeds, marijuana, restricted narcotic drugs, and others. Rashid Al-Dhabbah Al-Suwaidi, acting director of Sea Customs Management, revealed that in the past year, a total of 3,735 seizure reports were filed, with 1,273 of them related to drug seizures.
Mohammed Abdullah Al-Suwaidi, senior manager of intelligence operations in Dubai Customs, shared that they assisted an Asian country in seizing a massive amount of ‘Methamphetamine’ powder, weighing up to 700 kilograms and valued at $310 million. This contraband was hidden within a cargo ship and was ultimately seized by authorities. Adel Al Suwaidi, director of the Technical Support Department at Dubai Customs, highlighted the various procedures and technologies they employ to deter smuggling attempts. From the Smart Risk Engine for early warnings to inspection methods such as manual inspection, X-ray scanning, and sniffer dogs K9, Dubai Customs is dedicated to maintaining a drug-free country.
Dubai Customs has equipped the Jebel Ali and Tecom Customs Center with an advanced system for inspecting heavy and light vehicles, equipment, and yachts through X-ray scanning. This system has doubled the inspection operations and accelerated procedures, significantly reducing the inspection time from 6 hours to just 5 minutes. Siyaj is a smart and integrated security system used to monitor customs ports in Dubai. It incorporates modern technologies like AI, drones, electric cars, and devices to detect contraband and dangerous substances. The system employs rapid intervention teams, drones, the K9 dog unit section, examination and inspection devices, and a centralized database to ensure seamless operations.
In a notable operation called “Cockpit”, Dubai Customs successfully thwarted the smuggling of 234.68 kilograms of hashish, preventing it from being trafficked into the UAE. The operation involved a thorough inspection process using the endoscope technology on a suspicious dhow at the Creek Customs Center and Deira Port. The endoscope device provided a high-quality image in confined spaces, allowing authorities to detect prohibited items. Narcotic drugs were found hidden in a professional manner inside the ship’s cockpit. These successful seizures and operations demonstrate Dubai Customs’ commitment to maintaining a drug-free environment and safeguarding the country’s borders.
