Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — In the largest ever drug haul, Saudi security authorities seized more than 47 million amphetamine pills and arrested eight foreigners involved in the smuggling.

Maj. Muhammad Al-Nujaidi, spokesman of the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, said that a huge cache of drugs was smuggled into the Riyadh dry port and then transported into a warehouse. The security officials raided the warehouse and arrested the smugglers. They included six Syrian nationals and two Pakistanis, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

A total of 46,916,480 amphetamine pills, which were hidden inside a shipment of flour, were smuggled into the Kingdom. The seizure was made by the directorate officials in coordination with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority. The suspects were arrested, and initial legal measures were taken against them, before referring them to the Public Prosecution.

Al-Nujaidi stated that the seized narcotics were the largest quantity of drugs smuggled ever into the Kingdom in a single operation. He said that the security forces are closely following up on drug smuggling that targets the security of the Kingdom and its younger generation. The close monitoring resulted in the seizure of drugs that were smuggled into the Kingdom. The smugglers were arrested after raiding the warehouse where the huge cache of drugs was stocked after smuggling into the Riyadh dry port, he said.

Al-Nujaidi stressed that the security forces would continue carrying out their tasks to follow up on the activities of the criminal networks, which target the security of the Kingdom and its citizens with drugs. “The security authorities will foil all such smuggling attempts and arrest everyone who takes part in drug smuggling and ensure them getting deterrent punishment,” he added.