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The General Directorate of Border Guard reported that its land patrols conducted four separate interdictions across the southern provinces. In Asir province’s Al-Raboua sector patrols detained four Ethiopian nationals who had violated border security regulations while carrying 80 kilograms of khat. Jazan province’s Al-Dayer sector accounted for the balance of the seizures where 12 Ethiopians were taken into custody with 240 kilograms of the substance.
Border Guard units in the Al-Dayer sector also arrested two additional Ethiopian nationals in possession of 20,800 tablets listed under medical circulation regulations. A separate bid to bring 58,500 similar tablets across the border was blocked in the same area bringing the combined tablet total to 79,300. The directorate’s consolidated figures show the full operation netted exactly 320 kilograms of khat and the stated quantity of tablets.
Preliminary legal steps have been completed in each of the four cases according to the Border Guard. All suspects along with the confiscated items were transferred to the competent authorities for follow-up procedures. The actions took place within established patrol zones along the kingdom’s southern land borders.
The latest seizures add to a series of successful operations mounted by the same directorate in recent weeks. The Saudi Press Agency reported on August 22 that Border Guard forces had thwarted attempts to smuggle 138 tons of khat 2.8 tons of hashish nearly 942,500 amphetamine tablets and more than 2.6 million regulated tablets across Tabuk Jazan Asir and Najran. Those efforts resulted in the arrest of 1,123 Ethiopians 832 Yemenis and 25 Saudi citizens the agency data showed.
The Ministry of Interior has urged citizens and residents to share any information related to smuggling or drug promotion through official channels. Hotlines include 911 in Makkah Madinah Riyadh and the Eastern Province with 999 serving other areas of the kingdom. Additional contacts are 994 for Border Guard reports and 995 for the General Directorate of Narcotics Control with all submissions handled under guarantees of full confidentiality and no liability for the informant.
