Saudi customs thwart attempt to smuggle 8.3 million Captagon pills

Efforts to smuggle 8.3 million pills of infamous drug Captagon into Saudi Arabia were scuppered by customs in Jeddah.

The pills were located in two separate cargo loads at the port, though it was not clear if these were on different ships.

One set of over three million pills were discovered in a shipment of onions, Saudi customs said on Friday. They used dogs and other techniques in smelling the Captagon out.

The other, nearly 5.3 million, pills were found in barrels made of silicone.

The drugs were allegedly destined for three people who were arrested after Saudi customs contacted and worked with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control.

It comes after Saudi Arabia in April prohibited fruit and vegetables coming in from Lebanon following a discovery of over 5 million pills of Captagon secreted away in a shipment of pomegranates.

There was no indication from Saudi customs as to where the latest Captagon discoveries originated from.

In late December, Beirut customs staff discovered "nearly nine million Captagon tablets", according to interior minister Bassam Mawlawi.

Lebanon and Kuwait have reportedly agreed to more security and intelligence cooperation after Lebanese customs confiscated nine million Captagon pills found hidden in a shipment of oranges to Kuwaithttps://t.co/Kdw8nfpIxr

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) December 31, 2021

He explained the pills were set for the Gulf, but did not say where specifically.

Saudi Arabia's Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority urged anyone with information concerning smuggling to call their hotline. It added that there would be a financial reward for accurate intelligence.