UAE foils cocaine smuggling attempt at Zayed International Airport

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) said customs inspectors at Zayed International Airport have foiled an attempt to smuggle cocaine into the country after a passenger arriving from an African country was found carrying narcotics concealed inside his body.

The authority said the operation was carried out by the General Directorate of Ports in coordination with the national anti-narcotics agency as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen airport security and combat the trafficking of banned substances.

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Customs inspection teams detected what authorities described as precise indicators of suspicion during routine checks on the passenger, prompting officers to subject him to advanced inspection procedures before transferring him to hospital for further examination.

Medical tests later confirmed the presence of foreign objects inside the passenger’s intestines, authorities said.

Officials said the operation resulted in the extraction of 100 capsules containing cocaine with a total weight of 1,418 grams.

The suspect was referred to the relevant authorities after legal procedures were completed and the seized narcotics were confiscated, the authority said.