Figures released by Dubai Customs showed that Hatta Customs Centre has completed 87.4 thousand transactions and made 538 seisures in 2022.
The Centre dealt with 78.6 thousand cargo trucks and 587 thousand vehicles last year.
During his morning tour to the Hatta Border Crossing, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director-General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation pointed out the high quality services provided to clients have contributed significantly in facilitating traffic and speeding up the declaration process.
“Creativity at Dubai Customs has become part of the daily work routine within our quest to develop customs procedures and techniques at the local and international levels,” said Musabih.
He was accompanied in the tour by members of the senior management who viewed the smart systems used in the centre to facilitate trade and thwart any smuggling attempts.
Siyaj Buggy is the latest advanced innovation that has recently joined Seyaj Initiative, which was developed by Dubai Customs to ensure better control over the ports in Dubai.
The Buggy is used to search under trucks and vehicles when suspecting hazardous cargo. It can go through narrow places and take high quality 360-degree images and videos in a 30-metre range.
Dubai Customs attaches great importance to the development of truck scanning inspection systems to efficiently detect suspicious shipments and thwart any smuggling attempts.
“Inspired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who said government innovation is the basis for any development, and is the driver to shape the future, we equip the customs centres with the latest and most advanced technologies to facilitate trade and streamline passenger traffic,” Musabih added. “With this in mind, we set up a process to handle employees’ creative ideas, study them and turn them into projects. Creativity has become one of the five pillars of Dubai Customs Strategic Plan 2021-2026.”
Musabih pointed out that Hatta Border Crossing is a very important crossing for trade and tourism. The Crossing plays a major role in facilitating passenger traffic and trade between Dubai and Oman and the GCC countries. The Crossing played a key role in meeting the needs of the local market for food commodities and building materials during the COVID-19 pandemic period.
Hamid Mohammed, Director of the Inland Customs Centres Management at Dubai Customs, said,”The importance of Hatta Crossing has increased recently, as the value of Dubai trade is growing noticeably. Our customs inspectors’ vigilance and dedication coupled with the smart systems in place has been crucial in curbing the entry of illegitimate goods into the emirate.”