RIYADH — The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has thwarted 5 attempts to smuggle more than 168 kilograms of methamphetamine (Shabu) in several customs ports around Saudi Arabia. In the first attempt, ZATCA stated that the customs officials had successfully thwarted more than 6kg of the Shabou at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, as it was hidden inside a passenger's suitcase. The second attempt was thwarted at Al-Bat'haa port, as the quantity reached more than 10kg, as the officials found out that it was hidden in a truck and disguised as a tissue boxes. About 5kg of Shabou hidden in an arriving passenger's suitcase was foiled at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. While the 4th and 5th attempts were prevented at the Empty Quarter Port, with a quantity amounted to about 147kg, of which 33kg hidden inside a fuel tank of an oncoming vehicle via the port, and the other the drug was hidden inside of a vehicle's reserve fuel tank. ZATCA confirmed that they have arrested the receivers of this quantity, which are 4 persons, noting that they will continue monitoring all the exports and imports in Saudi Arabia, in addition to combating all the smuggling attempts of the contrabands.
