Dammam Airport Customs Foils 18,549 Amphetamine Pills

Customs officers at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam intercepted 18,549 amphetamine pills concealed inside an incoming postal parcel on 4 September 2026, in one of the latest enforcement operations in the Eastern Region.

The seizure was made during routine customs clearance, with inspectors relying on advanced security detection systems and canine units to uncover the hidden shipment. Following the discovery, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority coordinated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control, and the follow-up led to the arrest of four suspects inside the Kingdom.

The case is being handled under Saudi drug control and customs laws. Trafficking and smuggling of amphetamine-type substances carry severe criminal penalties, which can include long-term imprisonment, heavy fines, and, in aggravated cases, capital punishment under current narcotics regulations.

Part of a wider enforcement drive

The interception reflects a broader tightening of controls at the Kingdom's land, sea, and air ports. Between 1 June 2025 and 31 May 2026, customs ports across Saudi Arabia thwarted attempts to smuggle 1,098 kilograms of narcotic substances and 25,112,378 narcotic and prohibited pills.

The Dammam Airport operation is part of a series of recent 2026 actions in the Eastern Region, including foiled attempts to move millions of amphetamine pills through ports such as King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam. For residents and expats, the continued crackdown signals ongoing efforts to keep prohibited substances out of local communities and to protect public safety through stricter inspection at border points.

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