(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) The Dubai Customs foiled 155 attempts to smuggle talismans and black magic items into the country through the Dubai International Airports.
According to a senior official, up to 10,000 articles - weighing 97kg - associated with the practice of witchcraft and sorcery were seized from passengers of different nationalities.
Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, said practising sorcery and witchcraft poses a risk to the security of the society and involves manipulating people's minds.
"The Dubai Customs is committed to its corporate social responsibility and to deterring all bids to smuggle prohibited materials into the country which (pose) ... a threat to the security and safety of the local community."
The Dubai Customs provides intensive training and awareness courses for its staff to recognise sorcery materials and their different types and shapes. "Smugglers often invent new methods to hoodwink customs officials though passengers' baggage is thoroughly inspected by the latest x-ray scanning devices. Large luggage and handbags are then physically inspected by trained inspectors to make sure they contain no illicit imports."
Ahmed Abdullah bin Lahej, Dubai Customs' Director of Passenger Operations, said the confiscated articles included talismans, amulets, worry beads, animal skins, sorcery knives, magic teaching books and bags containing fish skeletons.
"Animal bones, ampoules full of blood and other liquids, animal drawings, strings, pieces of charcoal, finger rings, oysters, leaves, powders, cotton rolls used in sorcery, thread and some dark materials were also found with smugglers.
"Such materials are confiscated and forwarded to the respective authority to destroy them," said bin Lahej.
Smugglers of such items were, in most cases, of Asian, African and European origins.
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com
Items seized
Talismans, amulets, worry beads, animal skins, sorcery knives, magic teaching books, bags containing fish skeletons, animal bones, ampoules full of blood and other liquids, animal drawings, strings, pieces of charcoal, finger rings, oysters, leaves, powders and cotton rolls used in sorcery.
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