Saudi policewomen raid 'suspected' drug dens

Nearly 100 Saudi policewomen raided houses and other sites suspected to be used for drug dealing in a rare operation illustrating the gradual collapse of social barriers against local women in the conservative Moslem Gulf Kingdom.

The cops are part of a new batch of Saudi policewomen who graduated after receiving training on combating drug dealing and other illegal activities carried out by women.

The massive operation over the past two days covered the capital Riyadh and other towns in the country of 28 million people.

“The houses and sites raided included mostly female residents…the police women who carried out the raids have been trained on such operations,” said Amal Khashugji, director of women’s affairs at the counter-narcotics department in Riyadh.

“These policewomen do not face real dangers as is the case with police men because their work is confined to searching women….they are allowed to raid houses only after the site is secured by qualified security men.”

Like other Gulf oil producers, Saudi Arabia has been targeted by drug gangs given their high per capita and proximity to key narcotics producing Asian countries. Scores of drug dealers have been beheaded in Saudi Arabia.

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