A traveller attempted to smuggle 1.2kg of cocaine valued at Dh5 million hidden in his intestines into Abu Dhabi, authorities said on Sunday.
Customs officers at the capital's Zayed International Airport allegedly found 89 capsules of the class A drug in the body of the man after he was subjected to advanced screenings due to suspicions over his behaviour.
The General Directorate of Ports at the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security said the smuggling bid took place at the airport on Friday.
The traveller had flown into the UAE from an undisclosed South American country.
"He was subjected to advanced screening equipment, which revealed indications of foreign objects inside his body," said the authority.
"He was then referred to the competent authorities, who extracted the 89 capsules from his intestines."
UAE authorities have pledged to use the latest cutting-edge technology and detection methods as part of a zero tolerance approach to the fight against drugs.
In March, Abu Dhabi Police seized 184 kilogrammes of hashish from two Asian suspects, during an operation codenamed Secret Hideouts.
The pair were members of a criminal network, led by a person based outside the UAE, who used international telephone numbers to send unsolicited messages, said Brig Taher Gharib Al Dhaheri, director of the Anti-Narcotics Directorate in the Criminal Security Sector of Abu Dhabi Police.
The two were found in possession of narcotics, concealed inside marble cylinders, state news agency Wam reported at the time.
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
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Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
About Tenderd
Started: May 2018
Founder: Arjun Mohan
Based: Dubai
Size: 23 employees
Funding: Raised $5.8m in a seed fund round in December 2018. Backers include Y Combinator, Beco Capital, Venturesouq, Paul Graham, Peter Thiel, Paul Buchheit, Justin Mateen, Matt Mickiewicz, SOMA, Dynamo and Global Founders Capital
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
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