Another Captagon bust in Saudi Arabia as drug war continues

Saudi authorities thwarted another attempt to smuggle Captagon into the kingdom today. 

The Zakat, Customs and Tax Authority said they found more than 3.7 million pills hidden in iron pillars in the port city Dammam on the Persian Gulf. Two people were arrested for allegedly participating in the drug shipment, according to a press release. 

Why it matters: Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a major drug war fueled by a high degree of Captagon use by the population. Around 8% of Saudis have used amphetamines, heroin and other drugs, including many youth, according to one study. Captagon is a type of amphetamine. 

There have been numerous Captagon busts in Saudi Arabia this year, including the following:

• In April, Saudi authorities confiscated more than 1.5 million Captagon pills at the Jordanian border. 
• In February, authorities found more than 2 million Captagon pills in the ports of Jeddah and Duba. 
• In January, authorities seized more than 3 million pills in Jeddah. 

Saudi authorities have also reported busts of unspecified amphetamines recently. Last week, the General Directorate of Narcotics Control arrested Saudi, Egyptian and Syrian citizens in relation to the smuggling of nearly 500,000 amphetamine pills hidden in machinery. 

Earlier this week, the Saudi Border Guard said they thwarted smuggling attempts of amphetamines, hashish and the chewable plant drug khat at both the northern and southern borders. 

Know more: Captagon is a major business throughout the Middle East, including in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon.