A total of 1,461 people have been arrested by security personnel combatting drugs and trafficking during the past six months of the ongoing security sweep, the security spokesman of the Ministry of Interior stated to Saudi Press Agency Tuesday. The efforts of the security men during the first four months of 1437H (Oct. 2015 until Jan. 2016) resulted in the arrest of 953 people involved in the smuggling and trafficking of drugs and psychotropics. The banned substances found in their possession were seized. Meanwhile, during the past six months, from March to August, 2016, (from Jumad Al-Awwal to Shawwal, 1437H) 1,461 people were arrested for smuggling. These included 512 Saudis and 949 expatriates of 38 various nationalities. They were involved in crimes of smuggling, transporting and dealing in drugs and psychotropics via the social media. The security men faced armed resistance from drug smugglers and dealers. This resulted in 14 security men getting injured while three drug smugglers and dealers were killed and nine others were hurt. In the continuing security operations, the total quantity of substances seized included 24.7 million amphetamine tablets, 19.1 tons of hashish, 14.085 kg of crude heroin, 236 grams of heroin ready for sale, 8.221 kg of opium, 2.725 kg of shabu (methamphetamine), 61,480 pills of medicines issued only under medical prescription, 15 submachine guns, 99 pistols, 15 rifles, one hand grenade, 5,245 various bullets and cash totaling SR30,159,803. The security spokesman expressed the Kingdom's appreciation for the constructive cooperation with the counterpart authorities in a number of countries. This resulted in carrying out preemptive operations and foiling the smuggling of over 14 million amphetamine tablets into the Kingdom. Several networks that produced and smuggled these drugs were arrested. He also praised the coordination and cooperation between the Customs Department and the security authorities in monitoring and keeping under surveillance attempts to smuggle drugs into the Kingdom.
