Drug dealer with 'serious disease' flees Saudi jail

Saudi Police mounted a manhunt for a Pakistani prisoner with a serious contagious disease after he fled his cell despite tight security.

Police said they had issued an arrest warrant for the 40-year-old drug dealer at all the Gulf Kingdom’s land, air and sea outlets.

"The prisoner have been awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges. He is suffering from a serious contagious disease,” the Arabic language daily 'Sada' said, quoting a police statement in the Western Red Sea port of Jeddah.

It said the statement did not identify the prisoner or specify his disease.