Dubai Customs officials have foiled a bid by an African passenger to allegedly smuggle two kilogrammes of narcotics to India.
Customs officers at Dubai international airport detected 2 kgs of crystal methamphetamine hidden in secret pockets in a bag belonging to an African passenger on a multi-transit destinations flight starting from Nigeria and ending in India via Ethiopia and Dubai, Dubai Customs has said in a statement.
The move came as part of Dubai Customs’ consistent efforts to counter international smuggling operations of narcotic drugs.
Ali Al Maqhawi, Director of Airport Operations at Dubai Customs, said that customs officers at Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport were suspicious of a bag passing over inspection belts coming from the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa without being collected by a passenger.
“As part of ongoing cooperation between strategic stakeholders at Dubai Airports and after inquiries to Ethiopian Airlines about the bag owner, the passenger was identified following his arrival at Dubai International Airport, whence he proceeded to the transit lounge and booked a ticket to Delhi in India, requesting the transfer of his bag,” said the statement.
According to the statement, information was passed to agencies in India for further processing and tracing the bag.