According to the General Administration of Customs, inspectors became suspicious of one incoming air cargo shipment and carried out a detailed search that uncovered 100 A4-sized sheets of paper impregnated with a suspected chemical substance weighing approximately 790 grams. The authority stated that the consignment had originated from the United Kingdom, prompting further coordination with specialized units. This initial find formed part of a broader operation targeting concealed narcotics in routine commercial deliveries.
A second air cargo package, this one containing books, underwent inspection by the Investigation and Search Department, where officers discovered additional printed sheets saturated with the same suspected substance hidden inside a single volume. The General Administration of Customs placed the combined weight of materials from both interceptions at roughly 3.51 kilograms. Officials noted that both shipments had been routed through air cargo channels, highlighting vulnerabilities in that entry vector.
Coordination with the Drug Control General Department enabled authorities to apprehend an Indian national when he arrived to collect the two consignments. The suspect was taken into custody and referred to competent authorities for legal proceedings, the General Administration of Customs confirmed. Procedures remain underway as investigators examine potential links to wider trafficking networks.
The operation reflects a pattern of smuggling attempts involving paper impregnated with synthetic substances that the General Administration of Customs has confronted in recent months. In June 2026 the authority foiled an 86-kilogram narcotics shipment concealed in luggage arriving from Britain, according to a Gulf News account that cited customs statements. Such cases have led to heightened scrutiny of cargo from specific origins as officials adapt inspection techniques to evolving concealment methods.
Figures from the General Directorate of Drug Control show smuggling cases fell from 102 to 15 and trafficking incidents dropped from 354 to 184 across comparative periods between 2023 and 2025. The directorate’s data places the total number of drug-related cases recorded during those years at 9,754, involving more than 11,000 individuals. These latest customs seizures illustrate continued enforcement pressure even as overall reported activity declines.
