Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The security authorities have seized a huge cache of 6,875,000 amphetamine pills, hidden in a shipment of paint containers. The drugs were transported from Lebanon in an attempt to smuggle them to another country via the Jeddah Islamic Port.

Brig. Gen. Talal bin Abdul Mohsen bin Shalhoub, security spokesman of the Ministry of Interior, said that those who were involved in smuggling the quantity were arrested, and 8 million amphetamine pills were seized from their possession, bringing the total seized quantity to 14.85 million pills.

The spokesman said that the proactive security follow-up carried out by the ministry, represented by the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, to monitor the activities and operations of criminal networks involved in drug smuggling, has resulted in the seizure of drugs. “By passing the information to the counterpart agency in Lebanon, those involved in smuggling the drugs were arrested,” he said.

The spokesman urged citizens and residents to report any information they may have about activities related to drug smuggling or trafficking by calling the number 911 in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, and the number 999 in the rest of the Kingdom's regions, or by calling the General Directorate of Narcotics Control's reporting number 995, or by emailing 995@gdnc.gov.sa. All reports will be handled with complete confidentiality, with no liability to the reporter, he added.