Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025

Dubai Customs thwart smuggling of 12.5kg of marijuana hidden in bag lining

Dubai Customs thwart smuggling of 12.5kg of marijuana hidden in bag lining

Dubai Customs inspectors have thwarted the smuggling of 12.5 kg of marijuana concealed in the bag lining of a passenger traveling into Dubai International Airport
The narcotics were discovered on a passenger coming from an African country, with Dubai Customs saying they used advanced screening technologies to detect the drugs in the passenger’s bags.

“Inspection officers at the Passenger Operations Department at Dubai International Airport were able to identify the suspicious bags after they passed the x-ray machines, which revealed abnormal density in the two bags,” Dubai Customs said in a statement. “The bags then were searched manually and the marijuana, which was hidden skilfully in the inner lining of the bags, was discovered and seized.”

Two plastic bags that contained 2.9kg and 2.7kg of marijuana were hidden in the first bag, and the second bag had two bags that contained 3.4kg and 3.5kg of marijuana, with a total weight of 12.5kg.

Ibrahim Kamali, Director of Passenger Operations Department, said: “These seizures reflect the integration and full coordination between the various customs units at the Dubai International Airport and the quick response to thwart any smuggling attempts and prevent the entry of narcotics as part of Dubai Customs vision to lead safe customs worldwide.”

The operation started when one of the inspection officers suspected the luggage of a passenger coming on a trip from an African country.

At the inspection area, the passenger was asked if he has anything to disclose, but he said there was nothing to disclose. The bags, then, were searched manually and the narcotics were seized.

Dubai Customs is using highly innovative technology – including underwater drone technology - to thwart illegal or banned substances into the UAE.

They include the Smart Deterrence Inspection Drone; an advanced drone used to help with customs inspection operations in rugged, dangerous, confined and difficult-to-reach spots. It is used to replace inspectors in dangerous places and keep them safe.

They also use the Siyaj Buggy; an advanced inspection buggy that can go under vehicles, with ability to take high-resolution photos, recording and storing, in addition to 360-degree 30-meter shooting range.

The Customs Dolphin - a marine robot that resembles the dolphin in shape – is equipped with advanced technologies including a waterproof 12 megapixel 4k camera, attached to a robotic arm that can move around to cover a 220-degree angle. The submarine can swim at a speed of 8 knots or 16km/hour, and it can record live videos and take high-resolution stills. It also can scan certain spots underwater with the help of the GPS. Range of control and streaming is around 1,000 metres.

Inspectors can control the customs dolphins remotely and send them to monitor the marine vessels and their movements before they enter the port to detect any attempts by them to get rid of the prohibited goods before the ship enters the customs inspection pier.

Dubai Customs made almost 5,000 seizures during last year – including the country’s largest-ever haul of crushed captagon, the highly addictive amphetamine, through the use of its innovative technology.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
×