RIYADH:Saudi Arabia’s Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority thwarted two attempts to smuggle more than 250,000 Captagon pills.
Officers seized the substances hidden in a car and a truck attempting to enter the Kingdom via Al-Haditha Port, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The drug haul had an estimated street value of between $2.5 million and $6.25 million, according to research published in the International Addiction Review-Journal, based on the assumption that users pay between $10 and $25 per pill.
Authorities foiled the first attempt to smuggle 138,728 pills found hidden in wooden boxes inside a truck’s body. The second attempt saw 117,340 Captagon pills hidden inside a vehicle’s spare tire.
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ZATCA said it was tightening customs control over the Kingdom’s imports and exports in coordination with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, as authorities continue cracking down on drug smuggling operations.
Amphetamines are largely used by young men and teenage boys across the Middle East, and the money raised through the sale of all drugs often goes into funding organized crime and terrorism.
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 to email [email protected].
Tip-offs are treated with confidentiality, and financial rewards are offered if the information provided is correct.
