Feb. 06--A senior customs official says smuggling of 25 fake visas was intercepted with the arrest of a passenger coming from an Asian country.
The Dubai Customs recently foiled two separate attempts to smuggle 28 counterfeited documents, including 25 visas, and three passports, at the Dubai International Airport, Terminal 3.
A senior official said that smuggling of 25 fake visas was intercepted with the arrest of a passenger coming from an Asian country, while three forged African passports were seized in another smuggling bid.
Ali Al Mugahwi, Director of Airport Operations Department at Dubai Customs, on Wednesday said the Asian passenger, implicated in the first seizure, was held when he stepped into the Customs inspection area.
"The customs inspectors suspected the passenger when he anxiously denied having anything to declare, and showed signs of worry while talking to the officer."
The inspector, on searching the passenger's baggage, found a number of entry permits issued from some Asian countries. "These visas later turned out to be fabricated, just like some other fake documents found in possession of the man who was supposed to deliver the documents to other people here in the UAE against some money."
Al Mugahwi said the Dubai Customs inspectors in a separate incident, apprehended another passenger, with three African passports which later proved to be fake.
"The suspect was hiding the forged passports inside a book in his belongings, but the vigilant inspectors detected them through a sophisticated screening machine due to an abnormal thickness in the book."
Adding, Al Mugahwi said the two passengers, following investigation at the Passengers Investigation Office of the Airports Operations Department, admitted to their crime.
"They said they were planning to hand over the fraudulent visas and passports to other individuals in the UAE to use for illegal purposes."
The passengers, along with the seized documents and investigation reports, were referred to the Office of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs on Terminal 3 for legal action.
Al Mugahwi said smugglers often follow oblique ways to make fast money, and try their best to fool the Customs officers using deceitful methods, but the vigilance of the Customs inspectors helps in exposing such attempts.
"These competent officers have developed remarkable skills in the art of suspicion, allowing them to monitor the movements of passengers arriving at the airport and meticulously detect any suspicious cases."
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