Saudi customs officials foil bid to smuggle 2.1mln Captagon pills in tomato paste jars

RIYADH — Customs officials at the Al-Haditha Port, located near Saudi Arabia's border with Jordan, managed to thwart an attempt to smuggle about 2.1 million Captagon pills into the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday.

In a statement carried by the SPA, the Zakat, Taxation and Customs Authority said the pills were hidden inside a shipment of tomato paste jars exported through the port.

According to the authority, the consignment consisted of cartons of “tomato paste” loaded in a truck.

As per customs procedures, the shipment was subjected to checks and examined through X-ray machines, which led to the discovery of the pills which were hidden meticulously in the hollowed-out lids of the jars, the authority said adding that after the seizure of the contraband, necessary legal measures have been taken.

The authority also said that its officials at all land, sea and airports are alert to foil such attempts of smuggling by using the latest security technologies in cooperation and coordination with the relevant authorities to combat drug trafficking.

It called on everyone to communicate with it through the Security Reports Center (1910) to report any information related to smuggling and violations of the provisions of the unified customs law.

It is noteworthy that, in late June, authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large quantity of Captagon pills amounting to more than 4.5 million pills, which were found hidden in a consignment of oranges received through Jeddah Islamic Port.