745 smuggling bids foiled at Hatta border in Dubai

Dubai - Some 3.6 million travellers and 607,600 vehicles entered Dubai through the border in 2019.

A total of 745 smuggling attempts were foiled at the Hatta border in Dubai last year, according to Dubai Customs. Among the top items seized were illegal drugs and counterfeit products.
The emirate's Hatta border is a busy entry point, officials said. Some 3.6 million travellers and 607,600 vehicles entered Dubai through the border in 2019.
However, with advanced scanning and inspection devices and smart technologies in place, customs officers were able to detect and intercept smuggling bids, said Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director-general of Dubai Customs.
"These sophisticated scanning devices efficiently determine whether vehicles passing by carry any prohibited goods or not," he explained.
Out of the total number of vehicles Dubai Customs attended to, "111,300 were trucks, 493,500 small cars, and 2,800 coaches and buses".
Mohammed Al Muaini, director of Land Customs Centres Management at Dubai Customs, said the Hatta Border Post has become one of the most important borders linking the UAE with Oman and Oman with the rest of the Gulf region.
"Vegetables, fruits, perfume, electrical appliances, electronics, food stuff, juices, dairy products, ceramics, vehicles, engines, and cement are among the most common commodities that cross the border between Hatta and Oman.
"Records show that the Centre processed 338,300 declarations, including 205,500 export and 132,700 import declarations," Al Muaini said.
Musabih added that besides detecting smuggling attempts, latest technologies have also helped the Dubai Customs team provide high standards of customer service.
"These have significantly streamlined and expedited the declaration process," he said. "The centre can handle all types of inspection operations."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

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