RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has intensified its campaign to combat drug use and those involved in the trade and financing of illicit substances.
National Security Center Operations Commander Colonel Omar bin Aida Al-Talhi said the initiative aims to “eliminate” drugs and “protect society and youth from their effects.”
Its announcement coincided with the International Day against Drugs and Illicit Trafficking, established by the United Nations in 1987 and falling annually on June 26.
World Anti-Drug Day, as it is widely known, was “an important day that highlighted the harmfulness of drugs and their impact on nations, societies and individuals, which requires a multilateral fight against them and taking the initiative to report smugglers and traffickers,” Al-Talhi said.
“Thanks to society’s awareness, high sense of responsibility and integration with the security services, we managed to establish cooperation in reporting drug cases to neutralize the threat they pose.”
He said the NCSO, represented by the Unified Security Operations Centers (911) in Makkah, Riyad and Al-Sharqiyah, received reports on drug smugglers and traffickers and forwarded them to the appropriate authorities.
The Governor of Jazan, Prince Mohammed bin Nasser, inaugurated the celebration of World Drug Prevention Day at the Prince Sultan Cultural Center on Wednesday, with this year’s slogan: “The evidence is clear… Let’s invest in prevention.”
The facility is hosting an exhibition to raise awareness of the health, social and cultural impact of drugs and efforts to prevent their spread and use.
Director of Public Security Lt. Gen. Mohammad bin Abdullah Al-Bassami said drug trafficking is a cross-border problem that creates challenges for countries around the world.
He said that in Saudi Arabia, the government has made it a priority to protect its citizens and combat any threats to national security.
The kingdom’s war on drugs, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and overseen by Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud, has yielded positive results.
Al-Bassami said the country’s security forces are committed to protecting society, especially young people, from the scourge of drug trafficking, and called on all citizens to remain vigilant in the face of the continuing threat.
Undersecretary at the Ministry of Interior for the Security Regiment, Major General Awad bin Mashouh Al-Enezi said that World Anti-Drug Addiction Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of drugs and reiterated his ministry’s efforts to address the issue of punishing those who got involved.
Director General of the Border Police, Major General Shayea bin Salem Al-Wadaani, said that the Kingdom has made great efforts in the fight against drugs and protecting society.