Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia is continuing its ruthless war on drugs. As part of this battle, the Kingdom has launched a campaign aimed at combating the spread of drugs, foiling attempts to smuggle in drugs and eliminating the sources of financing this scourge, which targets certain age groups, mostly the younger generation.

During the campaign, the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) announced the arrest of several people, who were found marketing and selling various types of drugs in a number of cities across the Kingdom. These include two people, including an expatriate, in Jeddah, who were found involved in spreading a narcotic substance. Another person was arrested in the city of Riyadh, who involved in promoting drug pills.

The directorate officials arrested two people in Jazan and one each in Asir, Eastern Province, and Al-Qassim for circulating hashish. The man arrested in the Eastern Province was found circulating hashish through social media platforms.

The GDNC revealed on Tuesday that it had foiled, in cooperation with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, the smuggling of more than 12 million narcotic amphetamine pills, hidden in a shipment of pomegranate fruit.

The directorate highlighted the social responsibility aspect within the methodology of its campaigns against all types of drugs. It urged the members of the community to inform it of any suspicious activities with regard to drug trafficking as part of the campaign titled “Report them.”

The directorate is active in carrying out social media campaign against the scourge of drugs, with a hashtag titled “War on drugs,” highlighting the state’s determination, through its security services, to eradicate this scourge and its sources of smuggling and financing.