Dubai Customs foils 398 attempts to smuggle drugs in first three months of 2021

Officers seized more than 76kg of drugs hidden in a shipping container with street value of Dh47.5 million

A Dubai Customs inspector uses a sniffer dog to search for drugs at Jebel Ali Port. Sarah Dea / The National

Dubai Customs prevented nearly 400 attempts to smuggle drugs into the city in the first three months of the year, including a shipment containing three million Captagon pills.

Officers from the anti-narcotics section seized the amphetamines as part of the 'Safe Homeland' campaign.

Teams from the ports, sea, passenger and air sections of the department foiled 398 drug smuggling attempts, the majority of which involved passengers.

During a recent seizure, officers found more than 76 kilograms of drugs, with a street value of Dh47.5 million, hidden inside a shipping container.

The haul included more than 30kg of crystal meth and 46kg of cannabis.

“We have turned our entry points into an impenetrable wall against all smuggling attempts thanks to our advanced systems, including the Smart Risk Engine, which Dubai Customs developed to detect and intercept suspicious shipments of all types,” said Shuaib Al Suwaidi, director of the customs intelligence department.

"The Intelligence Department analyses and assesses data and tracks shipments coming into Dubai."

He said the public could also give tips to authorities using the Rafid service, a secure communication channel between Dubai Customs and residents.

The customs department uses advanced systems for screening, including the container-scanning system at Jebel Ali Port and the smart bag inspection system at Dubai airports.

Last year, the department made 1,118 seizures at different entry points in Dubai.

Interpol drug bust across Mena - in pictures

More than Dh446 million worth of narcotics seized in coordinated drug bust across Middle East and Africa. Credit: Interpol

The Lionfish operation was coordinated by Interpol and resulted in the arrest of 287 individuals. Credit: Interpol

In South Africa, crystal meth bound for Australia was hidden in sandals and inside sculptures of animals. Credit: Interpol

The operations took place in March and April of this year, bringing together police and customs officials at borders and other hotspots. Credit: Interpol

Codenamed 'Operation Lionfish' and coordinated by Interpol, the bust was aimed at disrupting the trafficking of drugs in the region. Credit: Interpol

Operation Lionfish also shed light on the constantly changing methods used by criminals to transport the illicit substances. Credit: Interpol

In South Africa, crystal meth bound for Australia was hidden in sandals and inside sculptures of animals. Credit: Interpol

Other types of contraband were also discovered and confiscated during the operations, including live pangolins, uncut diamonds, illicit cigarettes and vehicles. Credit: Interpol

An estimated 100 million euro (Dh446 million) worth of narcotics was seized in coordinated drug bust across the Middle East and Africa