RIYADH: Security forces in Tabuk have foiled an attempt to smuggle banned drugs into the kingdom last Saturday, the Ministry of Interior said on Tuesday.

In a statement carried on SPA, the ministry said the haul included more than 2.4 million tablets of the narcotic amphetamine tablets, more than 8 kilograms of opium, and more than 8 kilograms of hashish.

The banned drugs were loaded on a boat which was bound for a beach in Tabuk when it was intercepted by a maritime border patrol.

The ministry said two persons who were arrested from the boat claimed to be Egyptians but had no personal identity cards to prove who they were.

Despite stepped up high risk of being caught smuggling drugs into the kingdom and the harsh punishment of death for the offense, the activity seem to go unabated.