A whopping SR4.6 billion goes down the drain every year with about 160,000 drug addicts in the Kingdom spending an average of SR80 per day or SR2,400 per month on drugs.

These startling figures were published in local media quoting a source at the National Anti-Narcotics Commission (NANC). The number of “regular” addicts in the Kingdom stands at 160,000, the source said.

Children under 13 years using psychotropic substances account for 8 percent of the overall regular addicts which is an indication of poor family control, presence of addicts among family members or the spread of drug-infested neighborhoods, a study released by the NANC said.

Drugs traffickers normally exploit their kids and wives to spread narcotics, Al-Hayat daily quoted the source as saying.

He denied that the NANC had tracked the presence of narcotics (steroids) among workers in plants and factories allegedly supplied by business owners to push up energy levels of the workers. Instead, the labor enlightenment unit at the Ministry of Labor vigorously educated workers on their rights and duties, he said.

Last January, the Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of 634 drug smugglers, besides seizure of large quantities of drugs whose market value was estimated at SR886.31 million.

The arrested included 207 citizens, 174 Yemenis and 253 foreigners belonged to 32 countries. The arrest took place during the Hijri months of Shawwal, Dhul Qaada and Dhul Hijjah.