Saudi
The group included one Ministry of Interior employee, four from the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority, and one from the Saudi Electricity Company. Image Credit: @MOISaudiArabia/X

Riyadh: Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Interior has announced the arrest of nine individuals, including government employees, for their involvement in a major drug smuggling operation.

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The group, operating from Al-Jouf International Airport, was caught attempting to smuggle drugs into the Kingdom, according to a report from the Saudi Press Agency.

Among those arrested were one employee from the Ministry of Interior, four from the Zakat, Tax, and Customs Authority, and one from the Saudi Electricity Company. These individuals are believed to have coordinated with an international smuggling network.

The gang used advanced tactics to bypass airport security, including concealing drugs in luggage that evaded inspection. The drugs were then hidden in multiple locations across the Kingdom for distribution.

The Ministry of Interior reaffirmed its commitment to tackling drug trafficking and safeguarding the nation's youth from the dangers of drug abuse.