(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Dubai Customs recently foiled a bid to smuggle over 10kg of crystal narcotics, worth over Dh356,000, into the UAE through the Dubai International Airport, Terminal 2.
The drugs were seized from two women flying in from a neighbouring country to Dubai this week, according to a senior official at the Dubai Customs.
"The 10.4kg of drugs were extracted from some secret pockets in the women's luggage," Ali Al Mugahwi, Director of Airport Operations at Dubai Customs told Khaleej Times on Wednesday.
The suspects' confusion, anxiety, repetitive visits to the toilet and the duty free without buying anything were closely monitored by the customs inspectors. "The duo was waiting for more passengers to crowd at the check points."
Having detected some anomalies in the bottom part of the women's luggage during X-ray scan, the inspectors did an intensive manual search.
"Some 5.4kg of crystal narcotics were found concealed in secret pockets in the first bag while another 5kg were extracted from similar pockets in the other bag," Al Mugahwi explained.
"The two carriers, as per investigation, proved to be part of a gang headed by another lady living in a Middle Eastern country," he added.
The seizure and suspects were referred to the Anti-Narcotics Department of the Dubai General Police Headquarters for legal action. In March this year, Dubai Customs thwarted an attempt to smuggle 2.25kg of crystal narcotics, worth up to Dh80,000, into the country.
The Dubai Customs, from January to June 2011, busted six separate attempts to smuggle around 18.4kg of the narcotic-crystal worth over Dh6 million at the Dubai International Airport. In December 2010, Dubai Customs foiled a bid to smuggle 113kg of crystal narcotics, worth Dh44 million, in the Transit Section of the Dubai Cargo Village.
Al Mugahwi said crystal narcotics contain methamphetamines which are stimulants that speed up the brain and gradually damage its cells.ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com
