RIYADH — Close security monitoring of drug traffickers and smugglers has resulted in foiling an attempt to smuggle 2.8 million amphetamine pills across the Kingdom’s eastern border, said Col. Misfer Al-Greini, the official spokesman for the General Directorate of Border Guards.

He said the suspected recipient of the shipment was arrested during the operation, which was carried out in cooperation and coordination with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control and the Facilities Security Forces.

In addition, the Border Guards foiled attempts to smuggle 627 kilograms of hashish and 28.946 tons of khat through the southern border of Saudi Arabia.

Col. Al-Greini said that 35 people suspected of smuggling and receiving the narcotics were arrested. They included 27 Saudis, seven Yemenis and an Ethiopian. The foreign detainees had sneaked into the country illegally. Preliminary legal procedures have been taken against all suspects, while the seized items were referred to concerned authorities. — SPA