Major Smuggling Operation Foiled at Umm Qasr Port in Basra

Extensive inspections at Umm Qasr Port in Basra intercepted a major smuggling attempt involving prohibited goods, electronics and even an aircraft, the Border Ports Authority said. The operation, carried out in recent field inspections and attended by Authority President Omar Adnan al-Waeli, was described as one of the most dangerous smuggling efforts of recent times. Inspectors found large quantities of contraband hidden inside cheap materials to evade customs duties and bypass legal permits. Among the seized items were human medicines with no Ministry of Health approvals and years past their production dates, as well as paracetamol tablets, ampoules, various vitamins, medical devices, oxygen breathing apparatuses and serum. Authorities also confiscated more than 15,000 mobile phones, iPads and 2,000 Apple-brand headphones concealed behind low-cost goods. In a separate seizure, officials impounded an educational aircraft that had been at the port for five months without completing legal procedures. The inspections also identified prohibited model vehicles, dismantled car parts and motorcycles, which were placed under protection. The Border Ports Authority said field inspections and legal pursuit will continue firmly against smuggling networks that target the national economy and threaten public health.