In September 2021, Dubai officials intercepted 64 falcons concealed behind boxes of vegetables at the Hatta border crossing with Oman. This illustrates a common smuggling route for falcons from the Arabian Peninsula into Dubai. Falcons are also trafficked by air from Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South Asia, with the United Arab Emirates recording 35 cases of birds trafficked through airports between 2009-2017. Smugglers employ creative methods such as sedating birds with sleeping pills, binding them with tape, and concealing them in modified suitcases with ice packs. Upon arrival, the birds are sold to wealthy clients, often in private, invite-only affairs at their residences, with a single smuggled bird potentially fetching up to US$400,000.