By the end of 2021, the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority (ZATCA) had made great strides toward its goals of securing and protecting society, bolstering the national economy, and facilitating international trade. It also maintained its vigilance over the illegal trafficking of Captagon pills, narcotics, counterfeit and forged materials, and other contraband that endangers public safety, slows the expansion of the Kingdom's economy, and destabilises ongoing construction projects.
In 2021, the Authority was able to successfully battle smuggling and protect society by capturing more over 190 million narcotic pills in a single year. The majority of these pills were Captagons. ZATCA also made large drug seizures, 37,000 kg worth, including cannabis, heroin, cocaine, Khat, and other drugs. ZATCA worked with the relevant agencies, including the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC) and the General Directorate of the Border Guard (GDBG). In addition, about 234,000 bottles and 4,155 litres of wine were confiscated.
The authority, being ever watchful for the imports, also seized more than 3.9 million counterfeit and forged items as a part of its efforts exerted in its custom ports with the purpose of eliminating commercial fraud and counterfeit materials.
The huge amount of the seized items reflects the strenuous efforts of ZATCA teams at 41 customs ports, all of which employ cutting-edge security technologies and K-9 police dogs, and other tactics that help reduce the likelihood of prohibited items entering the Kingdom.
Such achievements are indicative of ZATCA's efforts to further strengthen customs control over imports and exports passing via the Kingdom's land, sea, and airports, while remaining vigilant against smuggling in all its manifestations. The purpose of the Authority's actions is to safeguard citizens from the aforesaid losses.