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The Ministry of Interior detailed how the General Directorate of Border Guards thwarted multiple smuggling attempts in coordinated operations that spanned four regions of the kingdom. According to the directorate’s statement, personnel seized 942,485 amphetamine tablets and 2,695,731 tablets subject to medical circulation regulations in addition to 2.8 tons of hashish and 138 tons of khat. The announcement placed the combined drug weight at more than 140 tons while underscoring that all arrested individuals were transferred to the Public Prosecution.
Operations concentrated in Tabuk along with the southern provinces of Jazan, Asir and Najran, the directorate reported. Its statement listed 1,123 Ethiopian nationals, 832 Yemeni nationals and 25 Saudi citizens among those detained, for a total of 1,980 arrests. A 2025 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report from the US State Department highlighted Saudi Arabia’s success in seizing over 239 million stimulant tablets in counter-narcotics actions.
The announcement framed the actions as part of the Ministry of Interior’s ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking and related activities threatening the kingdom’s security and youth. The General Directorate of Border Guards called on the public to report any relevant information about smuggling through official channels. Such cooperation has supported previous similar interceptions detailed in government releases.
Residents may contact authorities by dialing 911 for incidents in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh or the Eastern Province. Those elsewhere should use 999, 994 or 995, while tips concerning narcotics can be emailed to the General Directorate of Narcotics Control. The directorate pledged that all reports would be treated with strict confidentiality.
