Saudi authorities take war on drugs across the border

Riyadh: Saudi authorities only are able to intercept 60 per cent of drugs smuggled into the country. The remaining 40 per cent finds its way across the borders, a security official revealed on Thursday. Brigadier Abdullah Al Jameel, the Director of Drugs Control in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia, speaking at a symposium, said the Kingdom was working with relevant authorities in the countries of origin to fight drug smuggling from the source. The symposium was attend by officials from neighboring Gulf states as well as the US, UK, UN and Iran.

Al Jameel said that traffickers took advantage of Saudi Arabia’s long borders which it shares with many countries. He also noted that the increase in drug usage in the region was due to the spread of war and insecurity.

Most drugs that come into the Kingdom are smuggled from its southern mountainous border with Yemen and its northern desert borders with Jordan and Egypt. Drugs were smuggled via fruits, furniture, children’s schoolbags and body cavities.