The General Directorate of Border Guard announced this week that its land patrols had seized 154 kilograms of khat and hashish along with 19120 tablets subject to medical circulation regulations in operations spanning the Jazan and Asir regions where multiple border security law violators were also apprehended. The directorate said initial legal procedures were completed at the scenes before the suspects and seized items were transferred to the competent authorities for prosecution. Such operations have become routine in the southern provinces as patrols maintain pressure on smuggling routes from across the Yemeni border.
In the two weeks leading up to Aug. 25 the General Directorate of Border Guard reported confiscating a combined 880 kilograms of khat in the same regions according to summaries of its operational updates. Those actions resulted in the arrest of at least 24 Ethiopian nationals along with several from Yemen who were attempting illegal entry the directorate’s tallies show. The latest seizure adds to a pattern of successful interceptions that have significantly disrupted the supply of banned substances.
One operation in late August netted 290 kilograms of khat 33 kilograms of hashish and more than 72000 regulated tablets while 12 individuals were taken into custody the General Directorate of Border Guard stated at the time. Patrols in the Al-Daer Al-Aridah and Al-Raboua sectors were credited with the finds in that instance. The consistency of these results demonstrates the directorate’s focused deployment in high-risk border zones.
The General Directorate of Border Guard has encouraged residents to assist in these efforts by reporting suspicious activity through established channels without fear of legal repercussions. Callers can reach the Border Guard on 994 or the narcotics control directorate on 995 with regional variations for other areas such as 911 in major cities. The directorate has stressed that all tips are treated with strict confidentiality.
Official statistics released for 2025 show that the General Directorate of Border Guard and its partners seized 180 tons of khat four tons of hashish and millions of illicit tablets while arresting more than 2400 individuals the majority of them Ethiopian and Yemeni nationals. Those nationwide operations covered several border regions and highlighted the scale of trafficking activity the kingdom faces. The figures provide context for the continued emphasis on southern border security in Jazan and Asir.
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