JEDDAH: Saudi Customs officials at King Khalid International Airport thwarted an attempt to smuggle a total of 569,531 Captagon pills on Monday.
Mohammed Al-Aqeel, director general of Airport Customs, said that the pills were hidden in a biscuit-mixer machine weighing 360kg, and when it was subjected to the usual inspection procedures, caches prepared for the purpose of smuggling were discovered.
In July, Customs officials foiled attempts to smuggle contraband into the Kingdom via King Abdul Aziz Airport.
The illegal substances seized included 114,928 of Captagon and Tramadol tablets, in addition to a quantity of 1,467kg of narcotics.
The first attempt was thwarted through the usual screening and passenger inspections on one of the inbound flights to the Kingdom, when a Customs controller suspected six travel bags containing 65 packets of sweets. A total of 98,500 tablets were found, an official said.
He said that the second attempt was thwarted in the same way and 16,120 illegal Tramadol tablets were confiscated.
The third attempt resulted in the seizure of 1,465kg of narcotic drugs, which were hidden in two pieces of hand luggage belonging to one passenger, while the fourth attempt was discovered in a suitcase after a passenger tried to smuggle 308 Tramadol pills inside a shirt collar.
Attempt to smuggle more than 560K Captagon pills into Saudi Arabia thwarted
Attempt to smuggle more than 560K Captagon pills into Saudi Arabia thwarted
Scouts record 45,000 volunteer hours serving pilgrims at Grand Mosque in Ramadan
- Volunteers guide pilgrims, organize prayers areas, distribute water
- 600 young men and women scouts will work until end of Ramadan
RIYADH: Volunteers participating in the Umrah service camp supervised by the Saudi Arabian Scouts Association at the Grand Mosque in Makkah have contributed over 45,000 hours during the first half of Ramadan.
Six-hundred young men and women scouts, representing various teams across the Kingdom, participated in the camp’s activities, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Thursday.
They helped to guide pilgrims, organize prayer areas, support security and service personnel, care for children, and provide water and fragrances in the Grand Mosque and its courtyards.
The scouts supported the General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques and the public security sectors.
Three-hundred scouts participated in guidance and orientation with 22,500 hours, while 180 scouts assisted with public security services for 13,500 hours.
Sixty scouts who participated in the organization of prayer areas recorded 4,500 volunteer hours.
Additionally, 30 scouts participated in the Little Pilgrim Initiative, which focuses on caring for the children of pilgrims while their parents perform Umrah, contributing 2,250 hours.
In support services, 15 scouts participated in the water distribution initiative, contributing 675 hours.
Another 15 scouts contributed to the fragrance distribution initiative in the corridors and courtyards of the Grand Mosque, achieving 1,125 hours.
Camp leader Ziyad Qadir said the services of the scouts would continue until the end of Ramadan. He said the camps develop a sense of social responsibility and national belonging among young people.
