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The Border Guard reported that land patrols in the Al-Daer Sector of Jazan arrested eight Ethiopian nationals attempting to enter the kingdom with 160 kilograms of khat. Separate patrols in the Al-Rabwa Sector of Asir detained five more Ethiopians carrying 100 kilograms of the narcotic plant, according to the same statement from security officials. The combined 260 kilograms of khat from the two southern operations formed the bulk of narcotics recovered that day as part of routine border enforcement actions.
In the capital, the General Directorate of Narcotics Control stated that its officers arrested two residents of Ghanaian and Ethiopian nationality for promoting 22,417 tablets subject to medical circulation regulations. The directorate’s assessment placed those tablets alongside the khat hauls in a series of coordinated anti-drug activities across multiple regions. Officials completed initial processing of all cases before transferring suspects and evidence to competent bodies.
The Ministry of Interior confirmed that the 15 border security violators and two Riyadh residents underwent the necessary legal procedures following their detention. In the Jazan and Asir incidents, those arrested along with the seized khat were handed over to the appropriate authority for further action. The two residents detained in Riyadh were referred directly to the Public Prosecution, the ministry added in its overview of the cases.
Such interdictions form part of a sustained Saudi effort against khat trafficking along the southern frontier with Yemen, where Al-Monitor has documented repeated large-scale attempts in recent years. One compilation by the outlet showed border units intercepting more than 345 kilograms of khat in a single week during 2024, with similar patterns continuing into 2025 and 2026. An earlier Al-Monitor report from December 2022 noted that authorities had seized 30 tonnes of the stimulant in a single campaign, underscoring the scale of smuggling activity from the Horn of Africa and Yemen.
Arab News has covered parallel operations in Jazan and Asir, including a 2023 case in which border guards recovered 159 kilograms of khat in two linked attempts. Those accounts indicate that Ethiopian and Yemeni nationals frequently figure in such crossings, consistent with the nationalities identified in the latest statement from security directorates. The persistence of these smuggling routes has prompted enhanced patrols and intelligence sharing across the affected provinces.
Authorities encouraged the public to share any information concerning drug smuggling or trafficking by calling 911 in the Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and Eastern Province regions or 999 elsewhere in the kingdom. The Border Guard can be reached at 994 and the General Directorate of Narcotics Control at 995, according to the ministry’s guidance. Reports may also be submitted via email to [email protected], with officials stressing that all tips are treated in complete confidentiality and that informants face no legal liability.
