Saudi authorities foil attempted smuggling of $2m worth of Captagon pills

Saudi authorities foil attempted smuggling of $2m worth of Captagon pills
Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority's officer showing part of drugs shipment uncovered at Saudi ports (File/SPA)
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Updated 17 November 2024
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Saudi authorities foil attempted smuggling of $2m worth of Captagon pills

Saudi authorities foil attempted smuggling of $2m worth of Captagon pills
  • Customs Authority also discovers 403,124 Pregabalin, 1,990 Tramadol unlicensed, prescription-only pills

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s counter-narcotics authorities on Sunday foiled attempts to smuggle $2 million worth of Captagon drugs and nearly half a million unlicensed Pregabalin and Tramadol pills.

The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority said in a statement that it had seized the illegal drugs and unlicensed pills at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah; the inland Dry Port in Riyadh; and Al-Batha Port.

Authorities at the airport in Jeddah found 200,000 Captagon pills hidden in mail parcels containing household utensils. The drugs have a street value ranging from $2 million to $5 million. 

Captagon, a type of amphetamine, is used by young men and teenage boys across the Middle East and has a street value of between $10 and $25 a pill, according to research by the International Journal of Addiction Research.

The attempt to smuggle Captagon into the Kingdom was the second in less than a week. Counter-narcotics authorities uncovered a shipment of 12 million amphetamine pills on Wednesday at the Red Sea port of Jeddah which had been hidden inside a container of building materials.

The authorities also thwarted the smuggling of 403,124 unlicensed Pregabalin pills at the inland Dry Port near Riyadh. Pregabalin is a prescription-only drug for anxiety, epilepsy, and nerve pain treatment, but its abuse has led to several deaths in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Jordan. In countries such as the UK it is illegal to buy or possess Pregabalin without a medical prescription.  

An attempt to smuggle 1,990 unlicensed Tramadol pills — a prescription-only painkiller — and 500 grams of Shabu was thwarted at Al-Batha Port. The Customs Authority said the Shabu was found hidden in a shipment of washing machines.

The Customs Authority and the General Directorate of Narcotics Control have announced the arrest of 10 people in connection with the drug smuggling cases.


Saudi King Salman chairs weekly Cabinet meeting in Jeddah

Saudi King Salman chairs weekly Cabinet meeting in Jeddah
Updated 6 sec ago
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Saudi King Salman chairs weekly Cabinet meeting in Jeddah

Saudi King Salman chairs weekly Cabinet meeting in Jeddah

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet, chaired by King Salman, on Tuesday praised the kingdom’s global ranking in the growth of international tourist revenues during the first quarter of 2025.

The cabinet said the growth reflects the rapid development witnessed by the tourism sector. 

The Cabinet also reviewed the Kingdom’s positions on regional and global developments, as well as efforts that achieve mutual interests and benefits, and contribute to addressing global challenges.


City Hub mobile entertainment arrives in Baha

City Hub mobile entertainment arrives in Baha
Updated 15 min 5 sec ago
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City Hub mobile entertainment arrives in Baha

City Hub mobile entertainment arrives in Baha
  • The event has already attracted attention in earlier stops, including Jazan, Alkhobar and Hail

RIYADH: Following the success of the City Hub event in Buraidah, Qassim region, the initiative has now reached Baha as part of a nationwide mobile entertainment tour.

The event has already attracted attention in earlier stops, including Jazan, Alkhobar and Hail, according to a Saudi Press Agency report.

Organized by the General Entertainment Authority, it runs in Baha until July 25, offering entertainment for all segments of society.

The initiative supports Saudi Vision 2030 goals to diversify entertainment and tourism, and improve quality of life, the SPA added.

City Hub in Baha offers live shows, electronic games, educational corners, family zones and food stalls. The event runs daily from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., combining local identity with modern elements to enhance the visitor experience.

The opening day saw strong attendance from residents and visitors, who enjoyed experiences new to the area. Tickets are available through the WeBook app, which also provides the daily schedule and show details, the SPA reported.

City Hub has become a successful model for mobile entertainment across the Kingdom, tailoring each edition to the host city’s character.

Its arrival in Baha reflects the authority’s commitment to diversifying entertainment, promoting local content, and fostering jobs and investment to improve quality of life.


Saudi human rights society praises UN resolution for children’s digital safety

Saudi human rights society praises UN resolution for children’s digital safety
Updated 15 July 2025
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Saudi human rights society praises UN resolution for children’s digital safety

Saudi human rights society praises UN resolution for children’s digital safety
  • Khalid Al-Fakhri, the society’s president, said the resolution marks major progress in strengthening legal and preventive protections for children against digital risks and violations

RIYADH: The National Society for Human Rights in Saudi Arabia welcomed the unanimous adoption by the UN Human Rights Council of a resolution on protecting children in cyberspace.

The society called it a significant step that strengthens international efforts to safeguard children’s rights amid the growing challenges of the digital world, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday.

It noted that the resolution aligns with the global initiative launched by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to protect children in cyberspace, reflecting a strong commitment to upholding children’s rights in the digital sphere.

Khalid Al-Fakhri, the society’s president, said the resolution marks major progress in strengthening legal and preventive protections for children against digital risks and violations, and establishes an international framework to support countries’ and communities’ efforts in this field.

He stressed that protecting children’s rights is a core priority the society actively supports and promotes, and praised the Kingdom’s mission to the UN and international organizations in Geneva for its role in supporting and engaging with the resolution.

Al-Fakhri highlighted the need to integrate national and international efforts to advance human rights, particularly children’s rights in the digital age, the SPA reported.

The society reaffirmed its commitment to supporting all international and local initiatives to protect children’s rights and raise public and legislative awareness of the dangers of cyberspace.

These efforts, it added, are crucial to ensuring a safe digital environment and advancing the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 for a cohesive and secure society.


Riyadh to host global falcon auction in August 

Riyadh to host global falcon auction in August 
Updated 15 July 2025
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Riyadh to host global falcon auction in August 

Riyadh to host global falcon auction in August 

RIYADH: The Saudi Falcons Club has announced that preparations are underway for this year’s International Falcon Breeders Auction from Aug. 5 to 25 at the club’s headquarters in Malham, north of Riyadh. 

The auction has become a key event for falconers worldwide, attracting sellers and buyers of elite local and international breeding stock, the Saudi Press Agency reported. 

Last year’s auction featured 56 production farms — 13 from Saudi Arabia and 43 international — with 866 falcons sold to buyers from 19 countries.

Total sales topped SR10.6 million ($2.8 million), and more than 18,000 visits were recorded during the three-week event, the SPA added. 

The 2024 auction included the highest-priced locally bred falcon, sold for SR210,000 by Al-Aradi Production and Protection Center, and the most expensive international falcon, sold for SR400,000 by Pacific Northwest Falcons, US.

Recognized as one of the world’s largest specialized falcon auctions, the Malham event has created investment opportunities in the sector, according to the SPA.

The auction has also helped local farms adopt international best practices and contributed to Saudi Arabia’s emergence as a global falconry hub.


Royal Institute of Traditional Arts features at Expo 2025 Osaka’s Saudi Culture Week

Royal Institute of Traditional Arts features at Expo 2025 Osaka’s Saudi Culture Week
Updated 15 July 2025
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Royal Institute of Traditional Arts features at Expo 2025 Osaka’s Saudi Culture Week

Royal Institute of Traditional Arts features at Expo 2025 Osaka’s Saudi Culture Week

OSAKA: Saudi Arabia’s Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth) highlighted the Kingdom’s traditional arts to a global audience during Saudi Culture Week at Expo 2025 Osaka.

The event, from July 12-15, highlighted the “Year of Handicrafts 2025” initiative and put the Kingdom’s creative industries and craftsmanship in the spotlight. It also coincided with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Japan and Saudi Arabia.

Wrth’s participation blended Saudi and Japanese culture in a way that highlighted each one and featured a live demonstration by Saudi artisan Salman Al-Hamad and Japan’s Yuho Ohkotaof, who applied the techniques of Al-Ahsa Bisht embroidery to a Japanese kimono design. 

Wrth also held a workshop dedicated to creating Japanese fans with patterns inspired by Saudi traditional arts, using a design by a Wrth student.