RIYADH: Saudi Customs officers at Duba Port recently foiled an attempt to smuggle nearly half a million Captagon tablets through the port on the northern Red Sea coast.
Duba Port’s Director General of Customs Ali Atwi praised the customs officers for having discovered 421,846 Captagon tablets hidden in two trucks onboard a ship bringing cargo to the Kingdom.
“The customs officer was conducting a routine search when he found some of the tablets hidden in the headlight of a truck. Appropriate actions were immediately taken,” he said.
He noted that customs officers have become familiar with the different ways of smuggling contraband into the Kingdom.
He added that early this year, customs officers also thwarted an attempt to smuggle 414,000 Captagon tablets loaded in a truck on board a ship bringing cargo to the Kingdom.
“The Captagon tablets were hidden in the rear wheels of the truck,” he said.
Late last year, customs officers also thwarted an attempt to smuggle more than 2 million narcotic pills through the port of Duba. The shipment was carefully hidden inside washing machines and the tires of the truck.
“After scanning the shipment, the officials found the illegal goods, which were seized, and the suspects arrested for investigation,” he said.
Atwi confirmed the vital role played by Saudi customs in all land, sea and air entry ports into the Kingdom.
He said the officers are always alert and seek to prevent illegal goods from entering into the Kingdom.
He said the prevention of smuggling had led the Ministry of Interior and General Directorate of Dug Control to highlight the efforts of Saudi Customs in the periodic data issued by the ministry concerning its fight against drug traffickers and smugglers.
