Speakers at mosques, charity organizations and the business community are conspicuously absent in rehabilitation programs for the prevention of drug addiction and trafficking, said Abdul Ilah Al-Sharif, assistant director-general for Preventive Activities at the Anti-Narcotics Directorate.

The official said that the preventive sector needs the participation of preachers, social activists and businessmen to combat large-scale smuggling by organized criminal gangs.

Al-Sharif lamented that preventive activities were confined to exhibitions and lectures.

He also criticized the low-key role played by academic institutions and civil organizations in the fight against drugs. He blamed the secretariat of the National Committee to Combat Narcotics for not coming up with new ideas and plans to beef up preventive activities.

“We never see any noticeable movement from businessmen in the fight against drug traffickers,” he said.

He said that religious and social organizations should also be in the front line of the fight against drug-trafficking because the menace is ultimately targeting the robust social fabric and erosion of religious values.

Al-Sharif said that in recent operations, 41,000 drug smugglers, including Saudis, were captured. Security officials seized SR7 billion worth of narcotic substances.

He added that 55 million Captagon pills and 2 million tablets such as Tramadol, in addition to 43,000 tons of hashish and 55,000 grams of heroin, were seized last year alone.