Saudis seize qat-in-dates shipment

Saudi police have seized a large quantity of drug-like herb known as qat, stuffed inside rice and date packs by a Sri Lankan smuggler.

'Sabq' newspaper said police stopped the driver on a motorway in the southern province of Jazan near the border with Yemen after suspecting its cargo.

“They found nearly 450 packs of Qat stuffed inside rice and date boxes. The Sri Lankan was arrested and the drugs were confiscated,” it said.

It said police also arrested an Indian driver who tried to smuggle more than 1,000 Qat packs in a separate operation in Jazan.

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