The Federal Customs Authority (FCA), in co-operation with the Sharjah Department of Seaports and Customs and the Early Inquiry Centre of the General Authority for Ports, Borders and Free Zones Security, arrested an African traveller  trying to smuggle a quantity of rough diamonds in his guts.

The FCA said in a press release that it received a tip-off a few days ago that an African traveller engaged in mobile phone trading attempted to smuggle a quantity of rough diamonds in his guts while coming from an African country to the UAE via Sharjah International Airport.

The FCA immediately co-ordinated with Sharjah Department of Seaports and Customs and took the necessary procedures to arrest the suspect. As soon as the suspect arrived at the passport area of Sharjah International Airport, the FCA agents kept his passport and referred the suspect to Sharjah Customs, which searched him and his suitcases.

After being put to the body scan machine, the suspect was found to be hiding 3 plastic pieces in his guts.

The pieces contained 297 grams of rough diamond worth around $90,000. The suspect was interrogated and the seized diamonds were confiscated. The suspect was later referred to the UAE competent authorities so that the necessary measures would be taken.

The FCA pointed out that the suspect stated during interrogation that he came to the UAE via a UAE airport several times ago without smuggling or being involved in smuggling anything. He added that he bought the rough diamonds from the black market of an African country with the help of two partners, noting that he planned to look for potential buyers in the UAE without identifying any people.

Recently, the Dubai Criminal Court charged nine Asians with importing drugs in two separate cases. In the first case, seven Asians were charged with importing 72 kilograms of drugs, and in the second, two Asians illegally imported psychotropic substances in the form of medicinal slices and 74,340 prazolam tablets for peddling by hiding them in a wooden container.

According to the official records of the first case, a prosecution witness, a customs officer, testified that he was on duty in Jebel Ali Port when he suspected a container coming from an Asian country and reportedly carrying auto spare parts. Intensive investigations showed that the importer used usually to bring foodstuffs from unsuspected countries but this shipment was under suspicion for reasons related to the exporter. The shipment was put under guard until the person concerned came. The container was then inspected and the drugs were found hidden inside the auto spare parts.