logo
1,394 Cases Of Contraband Seizures Reported At Saudi Customs Ports

1,394 Cases Of Contraband Seizures Reported At Saudi Customs Ports

Gulf Insider23-03-2025

Saudi Arabia's land, sea, and air customs ports recorded 1,394 seizures of contraband during the inspection campaign, carried out by the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority, to enhance security and protect society from all types and forms of contraband.
The seized items included 87 types of narcotics such as hashish, cocaine, heroin, shabu, Captagon pills, and others, in addition to 1,331 prohibited substances. The seized items also included 1,751 types of tobacco and its derivatives, along with 47 types of cash.
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority affirmed its commitment to tightening customs control over the Kingdom's imports and exports so as to ensure the security and protection of society, in cooperation and continuous coordination with all its partners from relevant authorities.
The authority called on everyone to contribute to combating smuggling to protect society and the national economy by contacting it on the dedicated security reporting number 1910 or via email (1910@zatca.gov.sa), or via the international number 009661910. Through these channels, the authority receives reports related to smuggling crimes and violations of the provisions of the Unified Customs Law, with complete confidentiality. A financial reward will be granted to the whistleblower if the provided information is accurate.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

120 Saudi Government Staff Detained For Suspected Bribery, Job Exploitation
120 Saudi Government Staff Detained For Suspected Bribery, Job Exploitation

Gulf Insider

time30-05-2025

  • Gulf Insider

120 Saudi Government Staff Detained For Suspected Bribery, Job Exploitation

Saudi Arabia's state anti-corruption watchdog has interrogated 435 suspects this month and arrested 120 of them on suspicions of graft amid a relentless clampdown on white-collar corruption in the kingdom. The detainees are employees at the ministries of interior, defence, municipalities and housing, human resources, transport, and health, as well as the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority, the Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority said. They were investigated on charges of bribery and job exploitation. The watchdog, known as Nazha (Integrity) has reaffirmed its commitment to monitoring, exposing, and prosecuting anyone involved in abusing public office, vowing to protect public funds and reinforce transparency in both public and private sectors. In recent years, hundreds of state employees and businesspeople in Saudi Arabia have been interrogated for suspected corruption and mismanagement of public money. In January, local media reported that Saudi authorities had arrested 1,708 people in 2024, including government staff, over suspicions of corruption, money laundering, and influence trading. These arrests followed 4,000 investigations and over 37,000 oversight rounds. During last year's Hajj season, Nazaha also carried out 9,600 inspections at Mecca's holy sites and affiliated agencies, resulting in 155 arrests linked to corruption.

Kuwait Sentences Police Officers To 10 Years For Drug Smuggling
Kuwait Sentences Police Officers To 10 Years For Drug Smuggling

Gulf Insider

time23-05-2025

  • Gulf Insider

Kuwait Sentences Police Officers To 10 Years For Drug Smuggling

A Kuwaiti court has sentenced two policemen and a customs inspector to 10 years in prison each for attempting to smuggle drugs. The country's Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of the three, including a firefighting officer, on attempting to smuggle 1 million banned Lyrica pills at Kuwait Airport. The defendants had been arrested by the Kuwaiti anti-drug police after receiving information that they were smuggling the substance in seven suitcases, Al Qabas newspaper reported without specifying the date of the arrests. Several countries ban dealing in Lyrica pills because of potential abuse and addiction. In recent months, Kuwaiti authorities have announced foiling several bids to smuggle drugs into the country. Earlier this month, a shipment arriving at Kuwait's Shuwaikh Port was found out to have contained 110kg of hashish that had been secretly hidden inside marble slabs. Two suspects — a Syrian national and an illegal resident with Eritrean citizenship— were arrested in connection with the bid, the Kuwaiti Interior Ministry said. They attempted to smuggle the shipment in collaboration with a person outside Kuwait identified as a Gulf national. In addition to the drugs, 6,000 Captagon pills, 5 grams of the intoxicating shabu substance, and a digital scale used in preparing and distributing narcotics were found at one suspect' house. The origin country of the illicit cargo was not revealed.

Gift Gone Wrong: Expat Arrested At Kuwait Airport For Smuggling Drug In Luggage
Gift Gone Wrong: Expat Arrested At Kuwait Airport For Smuggling Drug In Luggage

Gulf Insider

time18-05-2025

  • Gulf Insider

Gift Gone Wrong: Expat Arrested At Kuwait Airport For Smuggling Drug In Luggage

An expatriate has been arrested in Kuwait for attempting to smuggle drug narcotics into the country, allegedly to present them as gifts to friends. Customs officers at Kuwait International Airport became suspicious of the man after observing his nervous behavior—he appeared confused and was constantly looking left and right, according to a security source cited by Al Anba newspaper. The expatriate, believed to be in his 30s, was taken to a security room for a thorough physical inspection, and his luggage was searched in detail. During the inspection, officers discovered pieces of hashish hidden among his personal clothing. In preliminary questioning, the man claimed the drugs were so-called 'holiday hashish,' implying that small amounts are sometimes brought in to be shared with friends as gifts. In a separate incident, customs authorities at Kuwait's Shuwaikh Port intercepted a shipment containing 110kg of hashish concealed inside marble slabs. Two suspects—a Syrian national and an illegal resident of Eritrean origin—were arrested in connection with the smuggling attempt. According to the Interior Ministry, the operation was coordinated with a third individual, a Gulf national residing outside Kuwait. Efforts are underway to apprehend him in cooperation with authorities in his country. Further investigations led to the discovery of 6,000 Captagon pills, 5 grams of the drug shabu, and a digital scale used for preparing and distributing narcotics at one of the suspect's residences. The country of origin for the illicit cargo has not been disclosed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store