Saudi authorities have detained a total of 14 individuals in Riyadh for their involvement in illegal narcotics activities, part of the kingdom’s intensified efforts against drug smuggling and trafficking.
Among them are seven Bangladeshis who were arrested for possession of 3.3kg of methamphetamine, 12,432 amphetamine tablets, and an unspecified amount of hashish, according to Gulf News.
In Jeddah, two Syrian nationals and a Saudi citizen were apprehended for trafficking 21,000 amphetamine tablets. Meanwhile, in Medina, an expatriate and a Saudi citizen were caught with 75,600 amphetamine tablets.
Separately, border patrols in Jizan in the south-western region arrested two Ethiopian nationals trying to smuggle 40kg of qat, a stimulant substance.
These arrests are part of Saudi Arabia`s broader crackdown on narcotics, known as the “war on drugs,” which has recently resulted in several successful operations against drug smuggling attempts.
Earlier incidents include customs inspectors in Jeddah foiling an attempt to smuggle 3,633,978 captagon pills hidden in a shipment, and in May, anti-drug police seizing 4.7 million amphetamine tablets concealed in concrete blocks and apprehending two foreigners.
Additionally, customs authorities intercepted an attempt to smuggle cocaine into the kingdom hidden in a potato shipment at the Jeddah port.
Drug smuggling and trafficking are serious offenses in Saudi Arabia, carrying severe penalties, including the death penalty.
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