By Ibrahim Alawi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The General Directorate of Narcotics Control has announced that as many as 5,067 people from 32 countries were apprehended in three months on charges of smuggling, transporting, receiving and circulating drugs.

Sources close to the directorate said special machines for the local manufacturing of amphatamine (Captagon) pills were also confiscated.

They said the drug dealers resorted to importing the machines for the local manufacturing of the Captagon because the grip was tightened on the smugglers along the borders and also due to the thorough work of the Saudi customs.

The sources said a number of machines for the local manufacturing of the Captagon are now in the hands of the directorate.

Spokesman of the directorate, Col. Abdulaziz Mohammed Kadasa, said 5.4 million of the Captagon pills were confiscated in addition to six ton of hashish, 1.4 kg of cocaine, 2.9 kg of heroine and other amounts of various kinds of narcotics.

He said 420 pieces of weapons were found with the smugglers in addition to cash money amounting to SR10.5 million.