JEDDAH: Saudi Border Guards on Wednesday arrested two Egyptians as they tried to smuggle narcotic drugs into the Kingdom on board a jet ski.
Colonel Saher bin Mohammad Al-Harbi, spokesman for the Border Guards, said the smugglers were spotted though the electronic monitoring systems entering the Kingdom’s waters near Al-Bada in the northwestern region of Tabuk.
Marine patrols then intercepted the riders and arrested them after finding in their possession over 700,000 amphetamine pills in three plastic containers and a bag.
The campaign against drug trafficking remains a big challenge for Saudi authorities despite the relentless crackdown that has led to the arrest of 1,628 suspects in the last six months in drug-related cases.
During that period, a total of 21,429,859 Captagon pills, 19,612 kilos of hashish, 12,933 kilograms of pure heroin, and 218.948 kilograms of cocaine were seized in various locations in the Kingdom, a recent report by the Ministry of Interior said.
Of the 1,628 arrested suspects, 589 were Saudis and 1,039 were from 41 different countries.
Sixteen police officers were injured and five suspects were killed and 14 were wounded in the confrontations and raids conducted to foil the drug smuggling attempts or to make arrests.
2 Egyptians arrested trying to smuggle drugs using jet skis in Tabuk
2 Egyptians arrested trying to smuggle drugs using jet skis in Tabuk
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Saudi wildlife center records rare sighting of critically endangered leatherback turtle in Red Sea
- NCW says the leatherback traveled thousands of kilometers to reach the Red Sea
- The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, some 6,500 km distant
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia's National Center for Wildlife (NCW) has documented a rare sighting of a leatherback sea turtle in the Red Sea, marking a significant biological record for one of the planet's most critically endangered marine species.
The sighting occurred approximately 30 kilometers off the coast of Al-Qunfudhah within the Blue Holes Protected Area, a newly established marine reserve, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The NCW confirmed that the presence of a leatherback in these waters is an exceptional event. Recognized as the largest turtle species on Earth, the leatherback can weigh up to 900 kilograms. It is easily identified by its unique leathery, black carapace—distinguished by five longitudinal ridges rather than a hard bony shell—and its ability to dive to depths exceeding 1,000 meters.
Noting the species' migratory nature, the center explained that leatherbacks travel thousands of kilometers foraging for jellyfish. The specimen likely navigated through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in search of food.
This is considered a remarkable journey, the NCW said, noting that the nearest known populations reside in the Indian Ocean, spanning waters from South Africa to Sri Lanka (roughly 7,000 to 8,000 kilometers away). The closest known nesting grounds are located in India’s Andaman Islands, approximately 6,500 kilometers distant. No nesting activity has been recorded in the Red Sea.
According to the IUCN Red List, the leatherback is Critically Endangered in the Indian Ocean. While data for the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf is scarce, recent isolated sightings include a juvenile recorded in Jordan in December 2025 and another off Djibouti in 2019.
The NCW emphasized that these rare appearances highlight the ecological importance of the Kingdom's marine conservation efforts in the Red Sea. The center pointed to the Farasan Islands Marine Protected Area, along with the new Blue Holes and Ras Hatiba reserves, as critical sanctuaries that could support the potential expansion of such endangered species' ranges.
