Arab News

RIYADH: Zakat, tax and customs authorities foiled an attempt to smuggle 841,440 captagon pills at the Haditha port on Thursday.

The pills were found hidden in iron boxes on a truck during a routine check as it entered the port.

The drugs haul had an estimated street value of between $8.4 million and $21 million, according to research published in the International Addiction Review Journal, based on assumptions that users pay in the range of $10-$25 a pill.

Amphetamines are largely used by young men and teenaged boys across the Middle East, and the money raised through the sale of all narcotics are usually ploughed back into the drug trade while some find their way into organized crime and terrorism.

Additionally, border guards in Jizan arrested an individual of Ethiopian nationality for attempting to smuggle 97,200 medical pills into the Kingdom and thwarted a seperate attempt to smuggle 80 kilograms of qat.

The Saudi government has urged anyone with information related to suspected smuggling operations or customs violations to call the confidential hotline 1910, the international number 00 966 114208417, or email 1910@zatca.gov.sa.