Saudi Arabia's Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority on Friday thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large amount of Captagon pills.
The contraband, amounting to 14,976,000 pills, was found hidden in a consignment that entered the kingdom through Jeddah Islamic Port.
The authority revealed that a “concrete block-making machine” arrived in via Jeddah Islamic Port and the pills were found hidden in the machine's cavity during the inspection process.
After co-ordinating with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, the authority said it was able to arrest the planned recipient of the shipment.
Captagon — a synthetic amphetamine first developed in the 1960s as a treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder — has become one of the most widely used drugs among young substance abusers in Saudi Arabia.
Reliable data on the scale of drug use in Saudi Arabia is scarce, but researchers in 2016 estimated that as many as three quarters of Saudis being treated for drug addiction had become addicted to amphetamines — mostly Captagon.
The synthetic amphetamine has long been associated with the Syrian civil war. Many fighters on all sides are believed to used the drug.
While huge quantities of Captagon are still being produced in Syria, experts, law enforcement and officials warn it is spreading over borders to Lebanon and Jordan, risking destabilising the region and flooding the Middle East with cheap but dangerous drugs.
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority confirmed that it is continuing to tighten customs control over the kingdom’s imports and exports, and called on citizens and residents to contribute to the fight against smuggling by reporting any suspicious activity directly to the authority.
Profile of Bitex UAE
Date of launch: November 2018
Founder: Monark Modi
Based: Business Bay, Dubai
Sector: Financial services
Size: Eight employees
Investors: Self-funded to date with $1m of personal savings
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Maestro
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
UAE squad
Humaira Tasneem (c), Chamani Senevirathne (vc), Subha Srinivasan, NIsha Ali, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Chaya Mughal, Roopa Nagraj, Esha Oza, Ishani Senevirathne, Heena Hotchandani, Keveesha Kumari, Judith Cleetus, Chavi Bhatt, Namita D’Souza.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
NBA FINALS SO FAR
(Toronto lead 3-2 in best-of-seven series)
Game 1 Raptors 118 Warriors 109
Game 2 Raptors 104 Warriors 109
Game 3 Warriors 109 Raptors 123
Game 4 Warriors 92 Raptors 105
Game 5 Raptors 105 Warriors 106
Game 6 Thursday, at Oakland
Game 7 Sunday, at Toronto (if needed)
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What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
