Saudi authorities have arrested seven Bangladeshis among a total of 14 in Riyadh for their involvement in the illegal narcotics trade, as part of the kingdom’s intensified campaign against drug smuggling and trafficking.
The General Directorate of Narcotics Control reported that they were found in possession of 3.3kg of methamphetamine, 12,432 amphetamine tablets, and an unspecified amount of hashish, reports the Gulf News.
In Jeddah, authorities also arrested two Syrian nationals and a Saudi citizen for peddling 21,000 amphetamine tablets.
Meanwhile, in Medina, an expatriate and a Saudi citizen were arrested for dealing 75,600 amphetamine tablets.
In another recent incident, border patrols in the south-western region of Jizan apprehended two Ethiopian nationals attempting to smuggle 40kg of qat, a stimulant substance, into the country.
These arrests are part of a broader crackdown on narcotics, which the Saudi government has dubbed the “war on drugs.” The kingdom has recently reported numerous successful operations against drug smuggling attempts.
Earlier this month, customs inspectors at the Jeddah port foiled an attempt to smuggle 3,633,978 captagon pills hidden in a shipment.
In May, anti-drug police seized 4.7 million amphetamine tablets concealed in concrete blocks and arrested two foreigners.
Additionally, customs authorities stopped an attempt to smuggle cocaine into the kingdom via a potato shipment at the Jeddah port.
Drug smuggling and trafficking are serious offenses in Saudi Arabia, carrying severe penalties, including the death penalty.
