Dubai 15 February 2015: Dubai Customs inspectors at Dubai International Airport foiled 155 attempts of smuggling talismans and black magic items over the recent period of time. Nearly 10,000 articles weighing 97 Kg associated with the practice of witchcraft and sorcery were seized with passengers form different nationalities caught trying to smuggle them into the country through Dubai International Airport.

Talking about witchcraft confiscations made by Dubai Customs, H.E. Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director of Dubai Customs, said: Practicing sorcery and witchcraft is considered a dangerous epidemic threatening the security of the society by manipulating peoples minds and taking advantage of their needs to deceive them. Dubai Customs is committed to its corporate social responsibility through deterring all bids to smuggle prohibited materials into the country which form a threat to the security and safety of the local community.

He pointed out that Dubai Customs inspectors realize how dangerous materials used for sorcery and manipulation of peoples minds are. DC provides all kinds of training and awareness courses for its staff to be able to recognise these materials; their different types and shapes. Smugglers often invent new methods trying to hoodwink customs officials. Upon arrival to the Customs zone in the airport, passengers baggage is inspected and screened using x-ray scanning devices. Both large luggage and handbags are then physically inspected by trained inspectors to make sure they contain no illicit imports.
Musabih reaffirmed Dubai Customs keenness on thwarting all attempts at illegally importing sorcery items, as con artists often use black magic to supposedly help release people from their problems but then exploit their superstitions and ignorance to defraud their victims of large sums of money.
He underlined that Securing borders is the key. Once we tighten our grip on entry points, we can rest assured that no illegal items will infiltrate into the country. To further enhance national security, all government departments need to join hands and more awareness campaigns should be carried out in this matter.

Ahmed Abdullah bin Lahej, Dubai Customs Director of Passenger Operations, noted that confiscated articles included talismans, amulets, worry beads, animal skins, sorcery knives, magic teaching books, bags containing fish skeletons, animal bones, ampoules full of blood and other liquids, animal drawings, strings, pieces of charcoal, finger rings, oysters, leaves, powders, cotton rolls used in sorcery, thread and some dark materials.
Smugglers of such items were in most cases from Asian, African and European origins. They use clothes, hand bags, travel bags and parcels trying to smuggle in these items.

Bin Lahej indicated that materials used for sorcery, fraud and black magic are materials prohibited to enter the country consistent with the Decree of the GCC Financial and Economic Cooperation Committee, which determined the lists of prohibited commodities agreed upon by GCC countries, including the ones that are inconsistent with the Islamic beliefs and public decency, namely materials used in sorcery and black magic.

An attempt to illegally import these prohibited materials into the country is considered an act of smuggling according to the Common Customs Law, and therefore such materials are confiscated and forwarded to the respective authority to destroy them. Moreover, practicing sorcery and black magic is a crime that tarnishes the image of Islam and is punished by law in view of the actual effect of the sorcery and black magic deeds.
Within the framework of the strategic partnership and cooperation between Dubai Customs and the Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities in Dubai, a joint measure is taken to annul the effect of seized items that are used in sorcery and black magic.

Khalid Ahmed Yousef, Director of Passenger Operations Department at Dubai International Airport Terminal 1, said: We at Dubai Customs save no effort to discourage the smuggling of all prohibited and restricted materials, being the first line of defense tasked with safeguarding the community from the entry of these materials. To that end, we conduct training courses to introduce inspectors to the gear used by sorcerers in conning people into paying them hefty amounts of money to use black magic to rid them of their financial difficulties, family disputes and illnesses.