If suspicious passengers are identified, officials at customs counters are informed to closely investigate them and their luggage.

With nearly 10 million passengers and twice as many bags passing through King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah in 2015, airport officials have upped their detection and monitoring mechanisms, relying on highly sensitive equipment and technical devices to uncover smugglers and violators.

According to the Director General of Customs at King Abdulaziz International Airport, Abdullah Hamoud Al-Filali, “The work of customs officials begins at least 8 hours before flights land on the airport’s tarmac, as teams thoroughly reviewing all reports and details concerning incoming flights.”

He revealed a blacklist with a list of 20 high-danger countries exists that require customs teams to apply additional levels of security measures to incoming passengers from these countries.

Accordingly, expert teams monitor passengers from such flights, often using surveillance cameras to pinpoint suspicious passengers attempting to smuggle illegal items or violate regulations. Officials also monitor appearance, behavior, body language, key signs, and other criteria of passengers to determine those who warrant further attention.

“If suspicious passengers are identified, officials at customs counters are informed to closely investigate them and their luggage,” he explained. “If nothing is found, but there is still suspicion surrounding this passenger, he or she is subject a search using x-ray body scans to eliminate any doubt.”

“A specific department, known as the Risk Management Department, plays a great role in reducing smuggling attempts of drugs and other illegal substances, as well as reporting information about such attempts,” he said.

Saudi women also play a critical role in identifying and monitoring female smugglers. “We are women of this country and we work day and night to monitor female smugglers who try to bring illegal substances into the Kingdom or violate regulations,” one of them said, noting that the aim is to serve their country, not wait for acceptance from those who may disagree with the profession for women.

Explained Al-Filali: “We have a large number of customs counters, depending on the classification category of the passenger, and airport officials direct passengers to specific lines. The inspection period takes roughly 7 seconds only and if the luggage is deemed unsuspicious they can head to the exit doors, but if any illegal items are contained in the luggage, further measures are applied.”

Flights from countries that are subject to closer inspection are those arriving from countries that display unfriendly attitudes to the Kingdom, countries that have been listed by higher security officials as high-alert, countries from which a large number of smugglers have been identified, and countries experiencing unrest and conflict.

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