Dubai, UAE–Dubai Customs has successfully processed more than 30.4 million customs transactions during the entire year of 2023.
This set a new record for the highest number of customs transactions handled by Dubai Customs, showcasing a 17.5% growth compared to the 25.8 million transactions in 2022.
This success is attributed to the ongoing success of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements program launched in September 2021.
Customer satisfaction for these electronic and intelligent customs services reached an impressive 98%, available 24/7. On average, Dubai Customs processes 84,000 daily customs transactions through its programs and systems.
Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs, CEO of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, confirmed the continuous growth of the United Arab Emirates’ role as a global trade hub and its influential position in the world economy.
He highlighted the significance of the “Economic Principles of the UAE” document approved by the UAE government, emphasizing its role as a guide for achieving worldwide Emirati leadership and establishing a sustainable national economy.
The UAE serves as a free and open economic model that enthusiastically embraces international and regional economic and trade collaboration without limitations, acting as a catalyst for foreign trade growth.
Regarding the Dubai agenda, Musabih clarified that Dubai Customs aims to establish and strengthen connections with Dubai’s business partners while attracting new collaborators to fulfill the vision of Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.
This effort contributes to achieving the targets outlined in the Dubai Economic Agenda (D33), with the goal of increasing the total volume of foreign trade from $3.86 trillion in the past decade to $6.97 trillion for goods and services in the next decade. Furthermore, the objective is to add 400 cities to the map of foreign trade by 2033. In this context, Dubai Customs has held numerous meetings with partners, clients, diplomatic entities, and business councils of countries as trade partners.
The discussions focused on frameworks to enhance the value of trade exchange, aligning with the UAE’s goals for 2031 and the Dubai Economic Agenda D33. Dubai Customs has introduced digital initiatives and services to expedite business processes and strengthen Dubai’s global trade hub status.
The “Cargo StatusTracking” project offers customers an outstanding experience by enabling them to monitor shipments from arrival to release, providing real-time oversight and comprehensive insight into customs clearance across Dubai’s borders.
This project aims to boost efficiency, cut costs for customs authorities and traders, and support increased returns for businesses choosing Dubai as their operational base.
This initiative empowers customers to take swift actions based on shipment status, offering rapid support to over 200,000 clients, including importers, customs brokers, shipping companies, and transport firms. It enhances transparency in the cargo clearance process, contributing to heightened customer satisfaction and striving to reduce the annual volume of inquiries to the call center regarding shipments, currently totaling 55,000 calls.
Dubai Customs has achieved the distinction of being the first Arab and global institution, outside the United Kingdom, to receive an Honorary Fellowship from the Idea UK Organization.
In the Ideas UK Awards 2023 ceremony, the government department excelled by securing the first position for the innovation of the smart bag and the second position in the Innovation category for the creation of the large vehicle scanner. Moreover, it maintained its top global ranking in the 14th consecutive Platinum Classification Index from the Ideas UK Organization for the third consecutive year.
In the past year, the government department successfully executed 3,748 seizure reports, including 1,704 cases and 2,044 customs reports. These efforts align with the department’s 2021-2026 plan for global leadership in secure customs. The department is committed to utilizing and advancing the best technologies to tackle security challenges threatening the safety of the economy and society. This involves the Intelligence Customs Management program, managing the massive volume of customs transactions and identifying suspicious shipments.
Dubai Customs also focuses on training and developing its officers and customs inspectors across all customs ports. This includes educating them on modern and innovative methods for detecting narcotics, using advanced machinery and modern inspection devices, and acquainting them with the latest technologies in drug detection and the substances used in its manufacturing. The aim is to empower them to identify prohibited substances in all forms and deal with various smuggling methods.
The number of intellectual property dispute cases handled by Dubai customs in 2023 reached approximately 333 cases, involving over 15 million counterfeit goods with a total value of around AED 73.4 million. The recycling of counterfeit goods involved 122 operations, encompassing around 694,000 pieces of counterfeit merchandise.
Dubai Customs enhanced its efforts to facilitate travel and tourism at Dubai airports. The department provides various qualitative facilitations for tourists and travelers.
The iDeckare program aims to expedite the passage of travelers through the red channel, completing customs procedures in less than 4 minutes. The program allows incoming passengers to pre-disclose goods, personal belongings, gifts, coins, and cash amounts accompanying the traveler.
The application provides information on Dubai International Airport’s facilities, including restaurant locations, duty-free shops, exit gates, and Customs Dubai employee areas. The smart project enhances the efficiency of the customs inspection system at Dubai airports, increases awareness about prohibited and restricted items for travelers, and can be accessed through the Google Play and Apple App Store.