Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — The General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) has foiled attempts to smuggle about 33 million amphetamine tablets into the Kingdom during the Hijri months of Ramadan, Shawwal and Dhul Qa’dah (May-July).

A spokesman of the GDNC said most of the quantity of drugs reaching 18.78 million pills was seized after arrival in the Kingdom. In addition, 15 people of various nationalities involved in the planning and receiving of the contraband were arrested. They include six Saudis, four Turks, two Pakistanis, two Jordanians, and one Syrian.

The spokesman said smuggling of 10.97 million tablets, which were on their way to the Kingdom during Shawwal, was thwarted and the drugs were seized in the seaport of a neighboring country. Besides, 3 million Kingdom-bound pills were seized in Dhul Qa’dah at the seaport of another friendly country.

He said smuggling attempts were foiled after a tip-off from anti-narcotic agencies. Preemptive measures were taken in cooperation and in coordination with the agencies in neighboring.

The Ministry of Interior has asserted its determination to counter attempts to smuggle drugs into the Kingdom by all means and to deal with the culprits firmly.

In general, the ministry’s efforts are exerted in cooperation and coordination with the counterpart agencies in the Arab and all foreign countries.

The objective is to carry out preemptive strikes to thwart the attempts of these criminal networks to target the youth of this nation. The ministry asserted that it would spare no effort to pursue those involved in such operations.