The UAE’s strategic location and economic strength make it a very attractive place for international drugs smugglers. As described in yesterday’s newspaper, drug gangs are resorting to more and more outlandish – even creative – methods in order to evade authorities. But the unmistakeable message from Dubai Customs was: we have the technology to find you.
Swallowing liquid cocaine in condoms is the latest ruse. But apart from exposing the drug mule to extreme danger – even the smallest leak of cocaine could endanger the person carrying it inside them – the method is detected by scanners at the airport According to official statistics, 312 attempts to smuggle drugs were thwarted by Dubai Customs in the first quarter of this year, with most of those arrested between the ages 26 and 35. In 2016, authorities foiled 1,030 smuggling attempts.
But there is no room for complacency. Traffickers are continuously probing the customs defences of countries, to figure out where the weakest points are. Last week, a man was arrested in Fujairah with four kilograms of heroin. In the same week, Saudi customs officers found two million Captagon pills hidden in a truck. A few days before, three-quarters of a million Captagon pills were found in France, in a shipment that customs officials said may have been bound for Saudi Arabia.
The fact is that all the GCC countries are bound together by transport links and so smugglers will use whichever entry point they think they can bypass. The strength of any customs regime is therefore dependent on all the others in the chain.
Adopting the latest and most advanced technologies and providing the necessary training to improve the performance of inspectors at customs facilities is therefore vital. Cooperation with different entities to enhance customs work is also essential.
But more than that, vigilance, intelligence and informers are essential to maintaining security. The war on drugs is a long war and a war that will always exist in some form as long as there are people willing to spend money on illegal narcotics.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
T20 World Cup Qualifier
October 18 – November 2
Opening fixtures
Friday, October 18
ICC Academy: 10am, Scotland v Singapore, 2.10pm, Netherlands v Kenya
Zayed Cricket Stadium: 2.10pm, Hong Kong v Ireland, 7.30pm, Oman v UAE
UAE squad
Ahmed Raza (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Rameez Shahzad, Darius D’Silva, Mohammed Usman, Mohammed Boota, Zawar Farid, Ghulam Shabber, Junaid Siddique, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Waheed Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Zahoor Khan
Players out: Mohammed Naveed, Shaiman Anwar, Qadeer Ahmed
Players in: Junaid Siddique, Darius D’Silva, Waheed Ahmed