Saudi Arabia: Authorities foil attempt to smuggle 16 million amphetamine tablets into kingdom

Cairo: Saudi authorities have thwarted a plot to smuggle over 16 million drug pills into the kingdom through neighbouring countries, according to a security official.

The General Directorate of Narcotics Control had uncovered the plot to smuggle large quantities of Amphetamine, a highly addictive stimulant, into the kingdom after having smuggled the contraband pills through a number of neighbouring countries, spokesman for the directorate Capt Mohammed bin Khaled added.

He added that the directorate in coordination with the Saudi Customs Authority seized the haul of 16,343,000 pills that were hidden in a shipment of chickpeas, the Saudi news agency SPA reported.

Two intended recipients of the cargo – an Indian national and a Yemeni - were arrested, the official said.

In recent weeks, Saudi authorities have foiled several attempts to smuggle drugs into the country.

Last month, security forces in the regions of Riyadh and Jazan had thwarted three bids to smuggle large quantities of hashish, weighing 1,243 kilograms, police said.

Drug smuggling is an offense punishable by death in Saudi Arabia.