Finance Minister Hani Qadri Demian honored Mostafa Abdel Fadeel, of Cairo Airport’s customs department, on Wednesday for thwarting an attempt to smuggle gold and diamond jewelry into the country. The jewelry was brought in by an import company official who arrived from an Arab country.
Ahmed Hassan, head of the central department of customs, said the minister’s move will motivate workers from the department, as he had earlier honored a group of workers who had foiled attempts to smuggle drugs and gold watches.
He added that the minister, who was at the airport getting ready to travel abroad, urged all workers to work their hardest to combat smuggling, which harms the public treasury as well as national security.
Omar Saad, general director of Terminal One at the Cairo Airport, said the attempt took place at the special arrivals hall, at which VIPs and businessmen can shorten their arrival procedures in return for fees. The customs worker was suspicious of the company official, so he checked his luggage and found 2.5 kilograms of gold jewelry and 262 carats of diamond.
