Ras Al Khaimah Customs seize 29kg of cannabis hidden in vehicle's spare tyre

Officers who carried out the search to be honoured by RAK customs

Ras Al Khaimah Customs officers found 29kg of cannabis hidden the spare tyre. of vehicle. Wam

Ras Al Khaimah Customs officers at Al Dhara border on Monday seized 28 bags of cannabis hidden in a vehicle attempting to enter the Emirates.

During a search of the vehicle, customs officers noticed some changes had been made to the spare tyre.

Officers said on further examination that they found 29.3kg of cannabis "professionally hidden" inside the tyre, state news agency Wam said.

Mohammed Al Mahrazi, director general of Ras Al Khaimah Customs, praised the vigilance of the officers who carried out the search and directed that the emirate's customs department honour those involved in the successful seizure.

Wam said legal measures were taken, but no details were given about the driver of the vehicle or if there were passengers.

In June, the Attorney General gave courts in the UAE the power to deal with more crimes using financial penalties instead of jail sentences.

The decision by Dr Hamad Saif Al Shamsi allows prosecutors to punish 13 further offences with a fine.

A person caught with a quantity of drugs classed as for personal use would not have to be sent to jail.

Someone caught with drugs would be fined between Dh10,000 and Dh30,000 ($2,720-$8,170) if it was their first offence, rising to Dh50,000 if it were their third.

However, tough laws remain in place for drug smuggling, with a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum death sentence, if pursued by prosecutors.

War on Captagon: in pictures

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  According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, trafficking in amphetamines has increased in the Middle East in recent years. Photo: Dubai Customs

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  Specially trained K-9 units are often used by border forces to intercept shipments. EPA

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  Experts believe the amount intercepted accounts for only around a tenth of the total quantity of pills being smuggled out of places like Syria and Jordan. EPA

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  Dubai Customs thwarted 398 attempts to smuggle drugs into the city in the first three months of this year. Photo: Dubai Customs

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  Captagon pills on display after being seized in Greece in 2019. EPA

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  Captagon became synonymous with the Syrian Civil War. AFP

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  The small, off-white pills have quickly become one of the most widely consumed drugs in the Middle East. EPA

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  Millions of Captagon pills are seized around the world each year. EPA

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  Captagon pills on display after a major interception of a shipment in 2009. Nicole Hill / The National

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  Customs officers say Captagon smugglers prefer to use sea ports rather than airports because of the size of shipping containers, enabling them to conceal larger quantities of drugs. Photo: Dubai Customs