ABU DHABI CUSTOMS FOCUSED ON SECURITY, RELATIONS WITH SAUDI

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000853

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND ISN/CPI
DHS FOR PLCY

E.O. 12958: 08/26/2019
TAGS: ETRD ENRG MARR PGOV SA AE

SUBJECT: ABU DHABI CUSTOMS FOCUSED ON SECURITY, RELATIONS WITH SAUDI
ARABIA

CLASSIFIED BY AMBASSADOR RICHARD G. OLSON FOR REASONS 1.4 B AND D.

REF: ABU DHABI 611


1. (C) SUMMARY: During an August 11 meeting on other topics, Abu
Dhabi Customs Director General Saeed Al Muhairi told DHS Attach and
EconOff that Abu Dhabi's relationship with Saudi Arabia is strained
due to illicit smuggling across the borders. Al Muhairi said his
primary concern is national security. To that end, AD Customs is
investing in significant equipment upgrades, including a new
radioactive detection portal. END SUMMARY.

BORDER ISSUES
--------------


2. (C) Al Muhairi said that Abu Dhabi's relations with Saudi Arabia
were strained due to illicit smuggling across the border. (Note:
Reftel discusses recent border problems. End Note.) Al Muhairi said
that he believed other Emirates' customs authorities, e.g., Dubai
Customs (Note: in the UAE, customs services are organized at the
Emirate, not Federal, level. End Note.),focused primarily on
revenues and were not sufficient examining incoming goods before
shipping them to Saudi Arabia through Abu Dhabi's border crossing at
Al Ghuwaifat. Al Muhairi said that Abu Dhabi is planning to require
-- and fund -- enhanced security measures for container traffic
between the emirates in an effort to disrupt smuggling, e.g.,
container seals with GPS tracking capability. Al Muhairi noted that
he supports the unification of UAE customs authorities, perhaps under
the Federal Customs Authority (a policy body),which would improve
security and cut down on illicit activities.

SECURITY UPGRADES
--------------


3. (C) Al Muhairi said he has made multiple trips to the United
States in recent months to purchase new security equipment. In
addition to two new mobile scanners, Abu Dhabi's Mina Zayed Port also
has installed a radiation detection portal (Canberra SP3000). (Note:
Other AD Customs officials told DHS that the portal was specifically
installed in preparation for the January 2010 Proliferation Security
Initiative (PSI) Leading Edge exercise. End Note.) Al Muhairi said
he has also purchased upgraded equipment from American Science and
Engineering (AS&E). Noting plans to develop the new multibillion
dollar Khalifa Port near Taweelah, Al Muhairi said his investments in
upgraded equipment will continue for a number of years.


4. (C) DHS/ICE Attache discussed the wide range of USG classroom and
operational training available to UAE customs authorities. Al
Muhairi expressed interest in pursuing these offers, specifically
bulk cash training and operations.


5. (C) COMMENT: While there is much talk that Abu Dhabi may seek to
consolidate customs enforcement at the federal level, it is likely to
be an ongoing battle. Customs tariffs, particularly in Dubai, are a
significant source of revenue for individual emirates. Increased
federal scrutiny of imported and transiting goods could have a direct
impact on these revenues. It is also likely that any effort at
unification would reveal subtle and divisive comparisons of
efficiency and divergences of policy objectives among the Emirates.
END COMMENT.
OLSON