JEDDAH, 15 July 2004 — One of the biggest drug dealers in Saudi Arabia, 43-year-old Jaza Al-Ruwaili, spoke to the press recently about his experiences after he decided to end his dealing career and mend his ways. His departure from the scene caused major financial losses to other drug dealers.
On an average, he used to distribute more than 200,000 speed pills a month and that he both used and distributed drugs for 28 years, Al-Ruwaili told Al-Watan daily recently.
He was arrested many times and spent one year in jail the last time. As the local middleman, he would receive imported drugs from big dealers and distribute them to the street level and small-time vendors in the Kingdom.
When he was finally caught, anti-drug officials found him in possession of more than more than 30 tablets of “speed”. The officials offered him a deal — his cooperation in exchange for his release. As a result of Al-Ruwaili’s information, police were able to seize more than 35,000 pills from other dealers, the paper said.
Al-Ruwaili told the police that most drugs come from outside Saudi Arabia but that he only sold to drug dealers inside the Kingdom. He admits to dealing in a variety of drugs, but described the worst as tablets of “speed” mixed with heroin. These, he said, originally came from Germany concealed in packing crates, but later other competing sources — Turkey, Israel and Iran — provided a steady stream.
Al-Ruwaili described the way he was caught by the anti-drug department. He sold some drugs to a small-time drug dealer who was later arrested. He informed the anti-drug department officials about Al-Ruwaili and they targeted him in a “sting” operation.
The dealer contacted Al-Ruwaili asking for more drugs and paid him in cash that had recorded and therefore traceable serial numbers. Al-Ruwaili was arrested when he deposited the money in the bank.
After cooperating with the authorities, he gave up his drug dealing and destroyed the remaining stock of drugs in his possession, which was worth over SR200,000. His drug-dealing friends offered him half a million riyals to go back into business when they learned that he could not pay his living expenses, but he refused.
Al-Ruwaili described a countrywide network of dealers. “There are drug dealers stationed in every province and entry point,” he said.
The drugs Al-Ruwaili used as well as sold caused him to live in constant pain and suffering. “I pray to God to have the strength to stay away from drugs,” he said.
He recalled a particular incident that gave him pause for thought. “I remember one day when I saw my son with his friends. They pointed at me asking whether I was his father or not. He told them that I was not his father because he was very ashamed of me and was afraid that they will make fun of him as everybody knew that I was a drug dealer.”
When he took drugs, Al-Ruwaili admits to being a violent father and husband. “When I went back home, I would beat my wife and kids. My kids used to hide from me under their beds to avoid me. I have promised myself that I will not live this life anymore”.
