Saudi Arabia: Police bust drug smuggling bid

Cairo: Saudi police have foiled an attempt to smuggle 340 kilograms of qat, an addictive stimulant, in the border region of Jizan, a security official has said.

The haul was hidden inside cavities of a truck, head of the Interior Ministry’s Relations and Media, Col. Ahmed Al Tawyan added.

The driver of the truck, a Pakistani resident, has been arrested. The suspect and the seized illicit substances will be handed over to authorities for investigations, the official added.

In recent months, Saudi authorities have thwarted a string of smuggling drugs attempts in the country.

Drug offences are punishable by up to death in Saudi Arabia.