Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) announced that it thwarted four smuggling attempts involving more than 261,000 amphetamine pills and 9.8 kilograms of crystal meth.

The seizures were made at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, Duba Port, and Al-Batha border crossing.

In the first attempt, inspectors at Duba Port found 50,000 amphetamine pills hidden inside a shipment of wooden tables.

In the second, customs officers at Jeddah airport seized 20,200 pills concealed in a passenger’s luggage.

At the Al-Batha crossing, inspectors intercepted 192,000 amphetamine pills stashed in the floor cavities of a truck.

They also uncovered nearly 10 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in another truck arriving through the same border point.

ZATCA spokesman Hamoud Al-Harbi said the seizures were followed by coordination with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, leading to the arrest of three individuals who were set to receive the narcotics inside the Kingdom.

Al-Harbi stressed that the authority remains vigilant in monitoring Saudi Arabia’s borders, preventing smugglers from exploiting ports of entry, and upholding its strategy to safeguard society from the dangers of narcotics and other contraband.

He urged the public to contribute to anti-smuggling efforts by reporting suspicious activities via the dedicated hotline (1910), international number (+9661910), or email (1910@zatca.gov.sa). He assured that all reports are handled with strict confidentiality, with financial rewards offered to informants if their information proves accurate.