UAE foils 14 airport drug smuggling attempts, seizing over 300kg in under two months

Centre · 2UAE authorities have foiled 14 attempts to smuggle narcotics through transit areas at airports across the country, seizing more than 300 kilograms of drugs in less than two months. 1 2 Centre · 2The operations were carried out jointly by the National Anti-Narcotics Agency and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, through its General Directorate of Port Security, as reported by the state news agency WAM. 2 1 Centre · 2Several suspected smugglers of European and Asian nationalities were arrested; the reports do not give their numbers, names or the drug types seized. 1 2

Centre · 2Intelligence on suspicious consignments and travel routes was exchanged with international agencies before arrival, so consignments were tracked in advance and specialist teams could act as flights and shipments landed. 1 2 Centre · 2UAE Customs said it uses advanced detection and smart screening systems that can identify substances hidden in baggage and transit consignments accurately and quickly, often without manual opening, reducing inspection times and raising detection rates for sophisticated concealment methods. 1 2 Centre · 1The National Anti-Narcotics Agency also said data analytics on flights, passengers and transit shipments helps identify high-risk consignments and focus inspection resources, as part of a national strategy to stop the UAE being used as a transit route for narcotics. 1

Centre · 1The National noted that UAE Customs had separately foiled an attempt to smuggle 16.2kg of crystal meth hidden in a vehicle's tyre at a border crossing, reported the previous week. 2