Although the documents revealed the identity of the bag’s owner, locating and contacting her required forming a team to trace her movements
Dubai Police found a traveller’s missing bag containing valuables in the nick of time as the Arab woman was about to take her flight to Saudi Arabia.
The incident first came to light when a Terminal 1 employee found a black bag in an open area of the airport and handed it over to the authorities.
Upon inspecting its contents, the bag was found to contain $20,000, 150 grams of gold, other currencies, mobile phones of various brands, and personal documents.
Although the documents revealed the identity of the bag’s owner, locating and contacting her required forming a team to trace her movements, especially since no report had been filed for lost property matching its description.
Once teams sprang into action, it was discovered that the woman was about to leave the country for Saudi Arabia. She was extremely worried about losing her bag, unsure how to proceed, and afraid of missing her flight, the police added.
Dubai Police handed the bag over to the traveller after completing the necessary legal procedures and verifying that she held all required permits and documentation.
This is not the first time the authority has helped residents and travellers recover their valuables at such a quick pace. Just earlier this month, the authority returned a handbag carrying silver bars worth around Dh2 million to an Asian passenger after a search operation at Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport (DXB).
On April 22, officers helped a tourist recover his lost passport and iPhone within hours after he misplaced them near Dubai Frame.
Dubai Police earlier said it returned 171,490 lost items to their owners in 2025, while reminding motorists to report immediately any lost vehicle number plates during recent weather conditions. The General Department of Criminal Investigation, represented by the Lost and Found Department, handled a total of 868,110 found items over the past year.
Meanwhile, 159,962 reports of lost belongings were received at police stations across Dubai and approved drop-off points, including shopping centres and Smart Police Stations (SPS). The authority also used other modern channels to make it easier for the public to report and hand in lost property.
