Dubai: Woman held with 5.6kg of cocaine at airport

Dubai Customs’ inspection staff at Dubai International Airport seized 5.6kg of cocaine carried by a female traveller arriving from a Latin American country.

At the terminal’s checkpoint, the customs officers with their high security vigilance grow suspicious of the passenger, leading them to flag her luggage for a routine X-ray scanning which spotted an abnormal density at the bottom of the lady’s suitcase.

The woman was stopped by the inspection officers and was asked to provide her passport for identity verification.

Asked if she had anything to declare, her answer was ‘no’. However, upon searching the bag, inspectors discovered a secret pocket inside the inner lining. It was loaded with black plastic sacks wrapped in transparent adhesive. They contained white powder, which after examination turned out to be cocaine, weighing 3.2kg.

Careful inspection of the bag’s contents went on to find another 2.473kg cocaine concealed in bottles of body-care products, including shampoo and moisturizing body creams.

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Ibrahim Kamali, Director of Passenger Operations Department, said: "The UAE is a global model to follow in curbing the trafficking of illicit drugs and safeguarding society from their dangers.

Kamali said the authority is entirely focused on increasing its capacity to detect and impound all harmful substances like narcotics before reaching the community.

"Dubai Customs plays a vital role in the country’s efforts to fight narcotics trafficking through its advanced infrastructure and highly trained inspection officers.

Despite the creative tricks some passengers use to hide prohibited materials, our highly-trained inspectors and advanced systems can effectively thwart smuggling attempts," he said.

Kamali added that there are many programmes, systems, technologies and plans in place to effectively combat and foil any drug smuggling bids. "These include the integrated smart inspection system, among other advanced systems, that help in deterring drugs and other prohibited materials."

• Dubai