Suspected opium smuggler arrested

DUBAI // A man suspected of attempting to smuggle 1226.4 grams of opium into the country was apprehended by customs officers at Dubai International Airport last week. Undercover customs officers alerted airport personnel about his suspicious body language as he was passing through Terminal 2, said Ali Al Mugahwi, director of passengers operation at Dubai Customs. An inspection of his luggage yielded a cache of opium that was packaged in small plastic bags and stored inside 88 separate pieces of fabric and articles of clothing, Mr Mugahwi said. During an interrogation by customs officials of the suspect, a national of an undisclosed Asian country, believed to be in his late 40s, Mr Mugahwi said the man confessed to bringing the opium into the country, possibly to sell. The suspect is currently in police custody at an undisclosed location and awaiting further legal proceedings. hnaylor@thenational.ae