DUBAI: Dubai customs 60kg of heroin and 30kg of other kinds of narcotics were seized from passengers arriving at Dubai Airport. Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Ahmed bin Lahej, Director of Passengers Operation at Dubai Airport said customs inspectors come face to face with drugs smugglers every day.Ahmed said there were nearly 350 cases involving drug possession or smuggling by passengers in 2014.
Heroin topped the list of confiscated drugs along with cocaine, crystal meth and the restricted drug Tramadol.Ahmed added those caught are mainly male passengers arriving from Asia and Africa, particularly those between 20 to 40 years of age. These passengers hide drugs mostly in their luggage and personal belongings.Huda Mohamed Abdulla, senior inspector at Dubai Airport said, “They also hide drugs in food and in machines.”
The most common way of concealing drugs, however, is in the internal organs of the passenger.In cases involving their bags or suitcases its easier for us to question the passenger until he confesses but it’s a different case for us when he’s hiding drugs in his stomach,” said Hassan Ibrahim, senior inspection officer at Dubai Airport.
He added, “They inject their body with a certain drug that makes them stay cool and calm to try and convince us they’re not carrying anything illegal.”
