RIYADH: Working on a zero-tolerance policy against smuggling of contraband, border security personnel and police thwarted smuggling attempts seizing a huge cache of cannabis in various operations on the Yemeni border.

Acting on a tip-off, police seized 589 kg of cannabis (hashish) in four separate smuggling operations across the border with Yemen, police sources said on Tuesday.

They further revealed that several smugglers from Ethiopia and Yemen were arrested as they tried to sneak into the Kingdom with the contraband through the mountains.

“Security personnel successfully conducted operations and foiled the attempts to smuggle cannabis into the Kingdom through the border Province of Jazan,” the sources said.

Giving the details of the operations, sources added that about 250 kg of cannabis was seized in the first operation, while the three other attempts involved 207 kg, 107 kg and 25 kg.

Earlier this month, Custom officials at Al-Wadeea land port, which connects the Kingdom with Yemen on the southern border, foiled an attempt to smuggle 85kg of cannabis when a drug peddler attempted to sneak into the Kingdom with the contraband hidden inside the main fuel tank of his car. The tank was separated from the engine and replaced by an alternative tank used to operate the vehicle in an attempt to outsmart Customs officers.

Similar attempts to smuggle the contraband through Al-Wadeea land port were foiled last month by Customs officials when they intercepted three attempts to smuggle huge caches of cannabis.