Saudi Arabia foils bid to smuggle cocaine in passengers’ guts
2.6kg haul was busted at King Fahd airport in Dammam
Cairo: Saudi customs officers have foiled an attempt to smuggle 2.6 kilograms of cocaine hidden into guts of six passengers at an airport, authorities have said. The attempt was thwarted at the King Fahd International Airport in the eastern city of Dammam, the Saudi Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority said.
While inspecting travellers on a flight arriving at the airport, a customs officer suspected six passengers. When screened, they were found to have hidden 244 capsules containing 2.6 kilograms into their guts, the authority added in a statement.
There was no word on the offenders’ nationalities.
Saudi Arabia have recently reported foiling several attempts to smuggle and deal in drugs.
Last week, customs officers uncovered an attempt to smuggle 1.6 million Captagon pills into the kingdom at the Jeddah port.
Last month, customs officers thwarted an attempt to smuggle about 2.1 million Captagon pills at a border crossing. The haul was found hidden inside a shipment of tomato paste at Al Hadaitha crossing in northern Saudi Arabia.
Drug smuggling and trafficking is an offence punishable by up to death in Saudi Arabia.