Dubai Customs foils 19 smuggling bids 

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) The Dubai Customs foiled 19 attempts this year to smuggle endangered animals, plants and their products into the country through the Dubai International Airport this year.

This was announced by Ahmed Mahboob Musabah, Executive Director of the Clients Management Division of the Dubai Customs, on Tuesday on the sidelines of a programme to launch a campaign to educate the public about endangered animals and to combat the illegal trade of anti-environment substances.

The six-day drive is part of the Dubai Customs' effort to protect and maintain the environment and in response to the UN 'Green Customs' initiative. "The items seized included stuffed animals and birds, leather patches, horns, hooves, ivory tusks, tortoise shields, ostrich eggs, oud oil and wood, gazelle musk, etc.

The confiscated items mainly came from Africa, particularly the ivory tusks, and were planned to be exported to Europe. As per the statistics of the United

Nations Environment Programme, crime syndicates earn around 22 to 31 billion dollars every year by smuggling proscribed hazardous materials and exploiting and trafficking protected natural resources as well as by illegally dumping hazardous wastes. Feryal Tawakul, Executive Director of Community Affairs and Government Partnership Division, said brochures will be distributed to the visitors of the centre to spread the culture of environment protection among the public.

"Smuggling endangered animals, plants and their products is incriminated in several international legislations, including the CITES Convention."

Early in March this year, the Dubai Customs launched another campaign on Facebook and Twitter to disseminate important information and facts about imperiled animals and plants and the consequences of their extinction.