DUBAI: Dubai Customs has seized three million Tramadol pills, with a street value of over $16 million (AED 60 million) at Dubai Cargo Village Customs Center.
Inspectors found the restricted drug packed in 60 parcels coming into Dubai from an Asian country by air, Dubai Customs said in a statement released.
This is one of the biggest seizures of its kind made by Dubai Customs lately and the Risk Engine was the star of the show,” director of Dubai Customs Ahmed Mahboob Musabih reported.
The Risk Engine is a smart system which is primarily fed with up-to-date inputs from various resources, enabling it to identify suspected shipments at a high level of accuracy,” he added.
The customs declaration stated that the parcels contain medical products and lab equipment, however analysis of available data on the history of the importer indicated that the shipment was likely to contain narcotics that the company is not authorised to import.
Cracking down on smugglers and safeguarding the community are major responsibilities on our shoulders. Two years ago, we launched a huge awareness campaign about the side effects of tramadol, jointly with Dubai Health Authority and DMI. The drive had a positive impact on the public, particularly youngsters, as they are the most targeted by drug dealers,” Mahboob commented.
