The General Authority of Customs (GAC) yesterday nabbed a passenger who tried to smuggle 53 pieces of pearl and diamond jewellery into Qatar through Hamad International Airport (HIA).
A statement issued by the General Authority of Customs (GAC) said that a passenger who had two suitcases, wanted to enter Qatar with one suitcase and transfer the other one on transit trip.
The customs inspector suspected the passenger and referred him to another inspector who found small packages hidden in his garments around the waist.
The packages contained 7 diamond rings, 3 pearl necklaces and 43 pieces of natural pearls, with a value of around QR4.4mn ($1.2mn).
The Director General of Qatar’s General Administration of Customs, Ahmed bin Ali al-Mohannadi, has honoured the inspector who nabbed the passenger, GAC stated yesterday.
HIA Customs Director Ajab Mansour al-Qahtani said that every day the customs department makes  several seizures involving drugs, jewellery and undeclared cash.  
The incident was referred to the competent security authority for legal procedures.
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