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The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority announced that officers at Jeddah Islamic Port had intercepted a shipment containing 58.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, known locally as shabu, which had been hidden in cavities within men’s shoes. Detection relied on a combination of advanced security technologies and K9 units during standard inspection procedures at the busy Red Sea facility. ZATCA then coordinated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, resulting in the arrest of the three intended recipients inside the kingdom.
Hamoud Al-Harbi, the authority’s official spokesperson, detailed how the contraband was discovered after the consignment arrived through regular channels. “Customs authorities have foiled an attempt to smuggle 58.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, locally known as shabu, concealed inside a shipment of men’s shoes arriving through Jeddah Islamic Port,” Al-Harbi said in the statement. “The methamphetamine was found concealed inside cavities in the shoes.”
This operation adds to a series of similar interdictions that ZATCA has publicised in recent weeks across multiple ports. The authority reported thwarting an attempt to smuggle more than 42 kilograms of the same substance at Jadidat Arar port, where it was hidden inside a vehicle’s fuel tank, according to ZATCA announcements. Such cases illustrate the range of concealment methods employed and the consistent inter-agency response that follows each seizure.
ZATCA maintains heightened controls over imports and exports at all ports of entry as part of its mandate to enhance security and protect society. These activities take place in close coordination with the Ministry of Interior and the General Directorate of Narcotics Control to disrupt trafficking networks before prohibited items can reach the domestic market. The latest seizure at Jeddah Islamic Port underscores the scale of vigilance required at one of the kingdom’s primary commercial gateways.
The authority encouraged the public to assist in combating smuggling by providing information through designated secure channels. Reports can be submitted via the hotline 9370, the email address [email protected] or the international number +9669370, with all submissions handled under strict confidentiality. ZATCA noted that accurate tips that lead to seizures may qualify informants for financial rewards.
