The directive came after a group of drug smugglers last week used a glider to bring 172 kg of Captagon pills, into the Kingdom.
The Saudi Aviation Club, meanwhile, instructed all training schools and shops selling aviation materials not to use or sell gliders and its spare parts from Wednesday.
Speaking to Arab News, a number of club members expressed indignation over the use of gliders for drug smuggling.
Informed sources said new laws regulating the use of gliders would ban them from flying in areas close to the border in order to prevent its use for drug trafficking and terrorist operations and flying wanted terrorists inside and outside the Kingdom.
Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, spokesman of the Interior Ministry, said Tuesday it was for the first time gliders were used to smuggle drugs into the Kingdom.
“The goal of this particular group was confined to smuggling drugs, but the idea itself poses the danger that such methods could be used to threaten the security of the Kingdom...which has been the target of terrorist acts,” Al-Turki said in the statement. He said the drug smuggling attempt took place at dawn on Sept. 20.
The aircraft was forced to land when it crossed the border, Al-Turki said, adding that a gun battle took place with smugglers waiting to take delivery of the drugs at the border. Ten people have been arrested.
Captagon is classified by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime as an “amphetamine type stimulant” and usually blends amphetamine, caffeine and other substances.
