Saudi customs foils 957 drug and money smuggling operations in one week
In a new security achievement reflecting the vigilance of those safeguarding the nation's borders, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) announced the thwarting of 957 smuggling attempts across various land, sea, and air customs ports in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, all within a record time of just seven days. These seizures are a culmination of the Authority's intensive efforts and rigorous oversight to enhance national security and protect society from threats.
Details of the seizures: Variety in smuggling methods and vigilant monitoring
Official statistics released by the authority revealed that the foiled operations were characterized by the diversity of smuggled materials, indicating desperate attempts by smuggling networks to breach security barriers. The list included:
- Narcotics: 81 different types of poisons were seized, including hashish, cocaine, heroin, crystal meth, and Captagon pills, which are among the most dangerous scourges targeting the youth of the region.
- Prohibited materials and weapons: Customs teams were able to seize 454 types of prohibited materials, in addition to 19 types related to weapons and their accessories, which highlights the crucial security role of customs in preventing the arrival of tools of violence and crime into the Kingdom.
- Financial and tobacco smuggling: In the context of protecting the economy, the smuggling of 3 types of financial sums (which may be linked to money laundering crimes) was thwarted, in addition to the seizure of 1,852 types of tobacco and its derivatives smuggled for tax evasion.
Strategic context: Customs as the first line of defense
These figures cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader context of Saudi Arabia, where the Kingdom is waging a fierce war against drugs and organized crime. The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority plays a pivotal role as the first line of defense, skillfully balancing the facilitation of global trade—in line with the goals of Vision 2030 to transform Saudi Arabia into a global logistics hub—with maintaining tight security measures to ensure that trade liberalization is not exploited for smuggling contraband.
The agency relies in its operations on the latest global technologies in X-ray detection, live means (police dogs), in addition to highly trained human resources capable of reading body language and detecting the complex tricks used by smugglers.
Economic and social impact
The thwarting of this enormous amount of smuggling in a single week carries profound implications at both the local and regional levels:
- Socially: Protecting thousands of families from the devastation of drugs, as the quantities seized were sufficient to cause serious health and psychological damage to a wide segment of young people.
- Economically: Controlling customs and financial evasion contributes to protecting the national economy, promoting fair competition in the market, and preventing the flow of suspicious funds that harm the financial system.
Call for community participation
Believing that security is everyone's responsibility, ZATCA renewed its call for all citizens and residents to contribute to these national efforts. The authority emphasized that communication channels are open and completely confidential for reporting any suspected smuggling activities, via:
- The number designated for security reports: 1910
- International number: 009661910
- Email: [email protected]
It is worth noting that the Authority provides financial incentives to informants if the information is proven to be true, while guaranteeing complete confidentiality of the informant’s identity, which enhances the concept of community partnership in combating crime.
