Saudi Arabia’s customs seized 28.9 kg of cocaine, which is hidden in the frozen meat in Jeddah Islamic Port World News
On Friday, officials of Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) attempted to smuggle 28.9 kg of cocaine in the state through the Jeddah Islamic port.Authority spokesman Hamood al-Harbi stated that the discovery of intoxicants was hidden inside a shipment of frozen meat, as it underwent customs procedures and was inspected using security screening technology and snifler dogs.The incident occurs on June 27, 2025, recently on the heels of the bust, when the same port officials exposed a major shipment of Captain bullets, hiding inside the wardrobe, 732,015, in total. The seizure was made possible through the use of advanced safety technologies in combination with fully manual inspections. ZATCA immediately alerted the general directorate of drug control, arresting four persons, who were the desired recipients of drugs within Saudi Arabia.Al-Harbi stressed that these persistent discoveries not only underlined the increasing simplicity of smugglers, but also increased the increasing pressure to develop the increasing pressure on the border authorities by smuggling. He confirmed ZatCA’s commitment to maintain constant vigilance as part of his comprehensive strategy to tighten the control of society and protect the society from harmful substances.
Strategic importance of jeddah port
Given the frequency and scale of recent drug trafficking efforts, the strategic importance of the Jeddah Islamic port cannot be overseas, not only as a major center for business, but also efforts to protect their boundaries as an important checkpoint in Saudi Arabia.Jeddah Islamic Port, also known as the Jeddah Port, is the main port for Saudi Arabia’s import and export state. It is the largest Saudi port on the Red Sea in terms of the region, which expands more than 12.5 km. It is the second largest port in the state with a red Sea coast in terms of capacity, after the King Fahd Industrial Port in Jeanbu.The importance of the Jeddah port is an entrance to be a gateway which welcomes the annual Haj and Umrah pilgrims. It is also a fundamental access point in the Red Sea for re -export as 75 percent of maritime trade and transmissions passing through Saudi ports are in this port.
ZATCA’s anti-smuggling capabilities and national security mandate
The ZATCA, formed through the merger of 2021 of the general authority of the general authority of the Saudi Customs Authority, has played an extended role in protecting the state from illegal trade, especially drugs.Authority operates on 48 air, land and sea ports, including:
King abdulziz port In Dammam – the largest sea entrance- Raja Khalid International Airport in Riyadh – A major aviation hub
Al-Haditha Border Port – Saudi Arabia’s largest land port
Zatca employs a combination of technologies and processes:
- X-ray scanner for full-concenter and package inspection
- AI-Trained Risk Evaluation System to identify high-risk shipments
K9 detection units Trained to identify drugs, explosives and undeclared cash- Manual inspection and coordination with national drug control agencies
Beyond the intoxicants, Zatca implements a ban on public safety, religious values, or economic interests such as arms, alcohol, fake goods and unlicensed drugs.Authority also encourages public participation by enabling anonymous tips through a hotline (1910), email ()[email protected]), And an international line (+9661910). Verified reports can earn monetary awards and are confidentially handled.Saudi Arabia applies one of the world’s most strict anti-nashi laws, and punishment for smuggling drugs is serious:
- Long jail sentence
- Heavy financial punishment
- Exile for foreign nationals
- In severe cases, for death penalty, especially for crimes or large -scale crimes
These laws reflect the government’s attitude of zero-tolerance and priority of protecting public health, national security and economic integrity.
