ABU DHABI: Abu Dhabi customs officials have seized 7,440 bottles of alcohol being smuggled out of the country on a truck carrying metal tubes. On Tuesday, the Abu Dhabi General Administration of Customs said a truck which was carrying metal tubes arrived at the western Al Ghuwaifat border crossing on the way to a neighbouring country. One of the inspectors grew suspicious about the cargo it was carrying and questioned the truck’s driver about its contents. The truck was inspected using X-ray machines, which revealed professionally designed hidden compartments within the vehicle. The compartments contained a number of hidden boxes. Later, once the truck was transferred to the inspection area, it was proved that those boxes contained 7,440 bottles of alcohol.
Inspectors issued a seizure report, seized the alcohol and transferred the truck driver to the authorities concerned to take the necessary legal action. Pictures of the haul by Customs officials showed bottles of whisky and vodka. “The administration is committed to adopt the latest systems and procedures of inspections which would support customs centres and their key role to prevent smuggling attempts through land, sea and air ports,” said Mohammad Khadim Al Hameli, Acting Director-General. Officials consider Al Ghuwaifat border crossing to be one of the largest and most important customs centres in the UAE.
