Dammam Customs Foil 18,549 Amphetamine Pill Smuggling

Customs officers at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam foiled an attempt to smuggle 18,549 amphetamine pills into the Kingdom, seizing the shipment inside an incoming postal parcel on 4 September 2026.

The parcel was flagged during standard customs clearance at the airport inspection area, where officers rely on security screening technologies and canine (K9) units to detect prohibited goods. Once the pills were discovered, the case was referred for follow-up.

Customs authorities coordinated with the General Directorate of Narcotics Control to identify the intended recipients inside the Kingdom. The joint effort led to the arrest of four suspects, who have been referred to the competent security and judicial authorities.

Why it matters

Under Saudi regulations, pills, intoxicants, and drugs of all kinds are classified as prohibited goods at all ports of entry and are subject to immediate seizure and criminal prosecution. For postal and cargo shipments, the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA) is responsible for inspection, seizure of narcotics, and referral of offenders, working alongside security authorities.

Amphetamine and Captagon smuggling cases are treated as major narcotics offenses, typically resulting in criminal investigation, prosecution, and potential long-term imprisonment and fines. There is no option for fines or "regularization" payments to release seized narcotics; the goods are confiscated and offenders are prosecuted.

Authorities have not published a per-pill or total value for this particular seizure. Residents are reminded that receiving prohibited substances through postal or cargo channels carries serious legal consequences.

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