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The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority thwarted a smuggling attempt involving 18,549 amphetamine pills that arrived at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam concealed inside a postal parcel. ZATCA spokesperson Hamoud Al-Harbi said customs officers identified the narcotics during standard inspection procedures that combined advanced scanning equipment with live detection resources. The discovery occurred immediately upon the parcel’s arrival and prevented any further movement of the consignment.
Al-Harbi explained that the authority promptly shared details with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control to locate and detain those expecting the shipment. This inter-agency coordination produced the arrest of four individuals within Saudi Arabia according to the spokesperson. Such joint efforts have become routine following similar detections at air and sea ports.
The spokesperson added that ZATCA maintains rigorous oversight at every entry point to intercept smuggling attempts through its operational strategy developed in partnership with the Ministry of Interior and the General Directorate of Narcotics Control. A statement issued by the authority on September 4 reiterated the use of both technological and operational tools during examinations. Hamoud Al-Harbi noted that these measures form part of broader border security activities conducted daily across the Kingdom.
This seizure follows an earlier ZATCA operation at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh where authorities intercepted 38,340 amphetamine pills hidden in another incoming postal parcel according to a January statement from the authority. In that instance officials again collaborated with narcotics control personnel to secure arrests of intended recipients. The repeated reliance on postal routes for concealment has drawn intensified screening protocols at multiple Saudi airports.
ZATCA data from March documented four additional thwarted attempts in a single campaign that yielded more than 261,000 amphetamine pills together with nearly 10 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden inside vehicles and cargo at ports including King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and Al-Batha. The authority reported that three individuals were taken into custody after those seizures through continued coordination with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control. These cases illustrate the range of smuggling tactics authorities encounter at both air and land borders.
Drug smuggling carries severe penalties in Saudi Arabia including prison terms of up to 15 years plus fines and corporal punishment for initial convictions a framework the General Directorate of Narcotics Control has detailed in prior assessments. The Directorate has recorded dozens of comparable amphetamine operations across 2025 and the first half of 2026 many of which originated at eastern ports such as those serving Dammam. ZATCA continues to process high volumes of cargo and mail while applying layered inspection standards at all facilities.
