RIYADH, 23 July 2003 — The United Nations has applauded Saudi Arabia for its measures to combat drug trafficking and abuse, according to the Kingdom’s Anti-Narcotics Commission.
The commission said Saudi Arabia had been rated third in the world by the United Nations Office for Drug and Crime in terms of the strength of its network of law enforcement agencies.
But UN official Dr. Jameel Sofi, program officer at the local UNDP office, would neither confirm nor deny the report about the UN rating, saying that the commission directly deals with the Cairo-based regional chapter of the UN drug operation.
The Commission has not answered calls from Arab News.
Reports published in the local press said the “Saudi anti-narcotics apparatus has been rated the third strongest in the world,” according to the UN certification.
“Of late, the Kingdom has intensified efforts to combat drug trafficking and misuse of drugs”, said a press statement released by the Commission here last week.
“The Kingdom is among the few countries with the lowest level of drug consumption, mainly because of the implementation of Shariah law,” the commission said.
Riyadh has set up four hospitals to treat drug addicts, which have helped some 5,000 addicts so far.
“The death penalty imposed by the Kingdom on traffickers has largely discouraged them to dump drugs in this country”, said commission official Lt. Col. Abdul Razzaq Al-Zahrani in a report published in the local press.
