Saudi drug enforcement agencies have arrested 478 people involved in drug smuggling and seized drugs worth more than SR1.4 billion during the first quarter of this Hijrah year 1432, according to Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman of the Interior Ministry.
He said the arrested smugglers included 241 Saudi nationals and 237 foreigners belonging to 23 different countries.
The drug bust took place in three phases. In the first phase along officers seized 13.39 kg of heroin, 7.64 million narcotic pills, 3,862 kg of hashish and 51,362 kg of qat.
In the second phase, the anti-drug department officers foiled attempts to smuggle in 2.89 million narcotic pills, 1,460 kg of hashish, 19,482 kg of qat and 5.79 kg of heroin in addition to SR2.87 million in cash.
“During clashes with the smugglers, four officers, Muhammad Al-Majrashi, Abid Al-Malki, Abdullah Al-Jabri and Ahmed Khairi, died while 28 officers were injured. Three smugglers also died and three others injured,” Al-Turki said.
In the third phase of the drug burst, security officers seized 2.63 million narcotic pills, 1,331 kg of hashish, 4.62 kg of heroin, and 17,711 kg of qat.
Speaking about the seizure of drugs during the three operations, Al-Turki said: “We have foiled attempts to smuggle in 13.17 million narcotic pills, 6,653 kg of hashish, 88,555 kg of qat, 18.47 kg of raw heroin and 4.62 kg of usable heroin,” he explained.
Al-Turki reaffirmed the ministry’s efforts to combat drug smuggling and arrest those involved in the crime in order to protect Saudis and expatriates from this social menace.
In another development, the Interior Ministry announced on Sunday that a Saudi national has been executed in Riyadh for kidnapping a boy and trying to kill him after raping him.
The ministry said Shabib Al-Dossari had been involved in other crimes.
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