Saudi Arabia busts major drug trafficking networks
Officers of the Directorate of Narcotics Control of Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry sort through tablets of captagon (Fenethylline) seized during a special operation and presented before AFP afterwards in the Red Sea coastal city of Jeddah on March 1, 2022. - Captagon is an amphetamine-type stimulant manufactured mostly in Lebanon, although probably also in Iraq and Syria, and much of which is bound for Saudi Arabia. The Saudi anti-drug directorate's spokesman accused the "Hezbollah terrorist militia" of being "the main source smuggling them and manufacturing them," an accusation that Iran-aligned group denies. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)
In its bids to end the devastating impacts of drug trafficking, the Saudi authorities have successfully dismantled three criminal networks involved in drug smuggling and trafficking across Asir, Jazan, and the Eastern Province, an official source at the Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday.
Reports say the syndicates, now facing the wrath of the law, were not only responsible for distributing narcotics across the Kingdom but also engaged in laundering the illicit proceeds, the source revealed.
A total of 19 individuals linked to these operations have been apprehended, including five employees from the Ministry of Interior, seven from the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority, and three from the Ministry of Defense.
Following their arrests, all necessary legal measures were taken, and they have been referred to the Public Prosecution.
The Ministry of Interior explained that the arrests underscore the government’s unwavering commitment to combating drug-related crimes and protecting the nation’s youth from the scourge of narcotics.
Authorities say they remain vigilant in dismantling criminal enterprises threatening the Kingdom’s security and stability.
