The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) has successfully thwarted an attempt for smuggling + 1.7 kg of Cocaine, concealed inside a parcel coming to the Kingdom through King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh.

ZATCA stated that while inspecting an incoming parcel, the inspector had suspected the contents of the parcel; by applying the suspicion procedures, the inspector found a quantity of Cocaine concealed in a skillful manner in a cache beneath the bag for the purpose of smuggling.

After the seizure operations were completed, the recipients in the Kingdom had been arrested in collaboration with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control (GDNC), added ZATCA.

In this context, ZATCA asserted that smugglers sought to seize any opportunity to smuggle Cocaine and other contrabands to the Kingdom, but ZATCA, through its land, sea and air customs ports, was always an impenetrable barrier to smugglers' attempts and sought to combat drug smuggling in order to protect society against these scourges.

At the same time, the Authority has called on everyone to contribute to combating smuggling and protecting the society and national economy by reaching out to the Authority's number designated for security reports (1910), via e-mail 1910@zatca.gov.sa or by the international number (00966114208417). The Authority, through these channels, receives and follows up reports related to smuggling crimes and violations of the Common Customs Law at strict confidence, with a financial reward given to the whistleblower if the reported information is proven correct.

In this respect, ZATCA successfully thwarted an attempt carried out this week for smuggling +4,500,000 Captagon pills concealed in a consignment of “oranges" coming to the Kingdom's Jeddah Islamic Port.​