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The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority has reported the successful interception of 1,950,581 amphetamine pills at the Al-Haditha border crossing. Spokesman Hamoud Al-Harbi explained that inspectors identified the contraband during standard customs checks on a truck carrying what was declared as lentils. Security scanning technologies revealed the pills distributed throughout the shipment, prompting immediate further investigation by the relevant agencies. The authority initiated coordination with the Ministry of Interior and the General Directorate of Narcotics Control after the discovery.
This collaboration aims to identify and apprehend those involved in the smuggling network on the receiving end. Al-Harbi noted that such joint operations form a critical component of Saudi Arabia’s anti-narcotics framework. The latest action adds to a series of significant drug busts conducted by ZATCA in recent periods.
For instance, the authority previously announced the seizure of 368,232 amphetamine pills at the same Al-Haditha port hidden inside building blocks, according to its own April 2026 statement. Similar efforts at Jeddah Islamic Port yielded 646,000 pills concealed in fava beans during July 2025. Data from Saudi authorities places the total number of illicit pills seized between June 2025 and May 2026 at more than 25 million.
An earlier record operation in 2022 resulted in the confiscation of 47 million amphetamine tablets from a flour consignment arriving in Riyadh, the Middle East Eye reported. These figures illustrate the scale of trafficking attempts targeting the Kingdom. The Captagon trade, as the amphetamine-based pills are regionally known, has expanded substantially in recent years.
A New Lines Institute assessment from 2022 estimated the Middle East market for such substances at over 5 billion dollars annually at that time. Production and distribution networks have been linked to areas of regional instability, heightening the security implications for Gulf states. The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority maintains a public reporting system to assist in preventing such smuggling activities.
Citizens can contact the authority through the hotline 1910, email at [email protected] or the international line +9661910 on a confidential basis. Successful tips that lead to seizures may qualify for financial rewards, the spokesman indicated.
