A desperate drugs mule who swallowed 830g of pure heroin in an attempt to smuggle the narcotic through Dubai International Airport has been stopped by quick-witted customs officials.
The drugs were found in the Asian passenger’s bowel.
He had stuffed the heroin into 50 capsules and swallowed them.
Ali Al Maqhawi, the director of airport operations at Dubai Customs, yesterday praised the work of his men for finding the heroin haul.
Al Maqhawi said the drugs mule was suspected by officials upon arrival at Terminal One due to his “anxious and confused” behaviour. The man was nabbed at a passengers’ checkpoint, he said.
“On the spot, a group of inspectors focused on him,” said the customs boss.
“When the passenger arrived at the inspection devices, his baggage was inspected, but nothing was found. So he was taken for abdominal X-rays to verify our suspicions.
“The inspection revealed that there were murky items in his bowel.
“Upon continued investigation, he confessed that he was carrying 50 capsules.”
Al Maqhawi said that the passenger - together with
the seizure report and the information collected during the customs investigations - were all sent to the general department of anti-narcotics at Dubai Police.
The police will take “required procedures”, said Al Maqhawi.
He added that the smuggling bust was down to his
officers’ “high level of efficiency, their awareness of possible smuggling methods and their experience in body language”.
