The official did not reveal the names of the traffickers pending investigation.

"The cargo was heading to three Western countries via Dubai," said Omar Ahmed Al-Mehairi, senior manager of Dubai Customs air cargo operations.

Recent reports indicate that smuggling incidents have been on the rise in the UAE. On Tuesday, Dubai Customs inspectors foiled an attempt to smuggle fake dollars with face value of about $220,000. They arrested a passenger from a European country with counterfeit money in the denomination of $100. Dubai Customs officers found bundles of notes in one of the two bags carried by the suspect.

Last week, Sharjah police had busted an international gang comprising 12 Iranians and two Pakistanis, and thwarted their plans to smuggle 2,534kg of hashish into the country via the country's eastern coast.