Saudi authorities have foiled an attempt to smuggle about 3 million Captagon pills hidden in a consignment of wooden panels via a port in Dammam, state news agency (SPA) reported.
The Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority said the pills were discovered in a consignment received from abroad at King Abdulaziz Port.
The smuggled pills had an estimated street value ranging from $30 million to $75 million, according to figures published in the International Addiction Review journal.
Money raised through the sale of narcotics is usually ploughed into the supply of more illegal drugs and other organized crime, including terrorism.
Two recipients of the shipment were arrested in a security operation carried out in coordination with General Directorate of Narcotics Control, SPA said.
Saudi Arabia has intensified its crackdown on drug smuggling operations.
Earlier, the Kingdom coordinated with Qatari authorities to thwart an attempt to smuggle over four million amphetamine tablets hidden in a shipment of cattle feed, received at Jeddah Islamic Port.
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority has thwarted two attempts to smuggle over 2.9 million Captagon pills, found hidden in consignments coming into the Kingdom through the Empty Quarter and Haditha crossings in December,2022.
The authority stated that it found 2.92 million Captagon pills at the Empty Quarter port hidden in consignments of electrical cables.
It added that it was able to thwart another attempt to smuggle 24,400 Captagon pills hidden inside the spindle of a truck coming through the Haditha port.
The authority noted that it coordinated with the General Directorate for Narcotics Control to ensure the arrest of the recipient of the consignments inside the Kingdom.
It stressed that it would continue to tighten control over the Kingdom’s imports and exports to thwart all smuggling attempts.
The authority called on members of the public to help fight crime by using the designated number for security reports (1910), the international number (00966114208417), or by email (1910@zatca.gov.sa).
Whistleblowers can report smuggling and customs violations through these channels in strict confidence, and will receive a financial reward if their information is correct.
