The Sharjah government has caught two infiltrators trying to illegally enter the United Arab Emirates through one of its customs terminals. They were hiding in tiny iron boxes installed under the rear trunks of two SUVs.

They were caught in an inspection of two vehicles using the latest high-tech X-ray scanners conducted by the Sharjah Ports, Customs, and Free Zones Authority (SPCFZA). The authority described it as an attempt to illegally smuggle two infiltrators into the country.

X-ray scanners revealed illegal nationals hiding spots.

“Due to the proactive follow-up and constant vigilance of the inspection officers examining the data from the scanners, Sharjah Customs apprehended two infiltrators concealed in iron boxes professionally installed under the rear trunks of the vehicles,” it said in a series of posts on X.

A video shared by the authority shows officers opening the rear bumpers of the vehicles where the two men were found hiding in a two-foot box. They tightly squeezed in the tiny space.

The infiltrators were not carrying any documentation, according to the customs. They and the drivers of the vehicles were transferred to the authorities for legal proceedings.

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Raisi, the director of Terminals and Border Points Affairs at the SPCFZA, told Khaleej Times that infiltration was among the authority’s top concerns. “The UAE’s considerable economic and developmental progress contributes to this threat, making the country a target for a segment of people,” he said.