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The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority reported that land, sea and air customs ports in Saudi Arabia carried out 1,078 seizures of contraband goods last week. According to the authority, these operations form part of continuous measures to strengthen border security and shield the public from illicit trade. ZATCA figures show that 107 categories of narcotics were among the items stopped, encompassing hashish, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and Captagon pills.
The authority’s update added that customs teams also confiscated 402 varieties of other prohibited substances during the same period. In addition, officers thwarted smuggling of 2,024 tobacco products and their derivatives across the various entry points. The weekly total further accounted for 30 types of undeclared cash along with two categories of weapons and related gear, ZATCA stated.
This latest report from the authority arrives as Saudi Arabia sustains high levels of vigilance at its borders. Data from earlier ZATCA releases compiled by Gulf Insider indicate that weekly seizure numbers have ranged from 642 in March to 1,210 in August. Such variations highlight the persistent challenge posed by smuggling networks attempting to breach the kingdom’s customs controls.
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority said it continues to apply rigorous controls on the kingdom’s imports and exports. This work occurs through continuous cooperation and coordination with all relevant government bodies, the authority explained in its statement. ZATCA added that the goal remains ensuring the security and protection of society from prohibited substances.
Members of the public can support these operations by reporting suspected smuggling through designated channels, ZATCA noted. The authority listed the security hotline 1910, the email address [email protected] and the international number 009661910 as avenues for tips. All information is treated with complete confidentiality and accurate reports may result in a financial reward for the informant, according to the authority.
Similar weekly tallies have been issued regularly by ZATCA throughout the year, providing transparency on border enforcement activities. One recent example from Zawya showed 1,210 prohibited item seizures in a single week during early August. These ongoing disclosures demonstrate the scale of customs operations designed to counter both drug trafficking and other forms of illegal cross-border movement.
