Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — A Saudi citizen has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after he was convicted of exploiting his family for drug trafficking. The man was arrested for hiding a huge quantity of drugs in a vehicle in which his wife traveled to Makkah to perform the minor pilgrimage of Umrah.

An official source at the Public Prosecution stated that the narcotics wing completed investigations into the case of the citizen who was accused of possessing narcotics and psychotropic substances with the intent of trafficking in them.

The investigations revealed that the accused was carrying 96kg of hashish, in addition to 4,047 Pregabalin pills, a controlled drug that affects the nervous system. The citizen, with the intention of transferring the narcotics to Jeddah, hid them in secret chambers of the vehicle belonging to his wife while she was on her way to Makkah.

After the arrest, the citizen was referred to the competent authority with evidence to prove the charges against him, the official source said, adding that the competent court subsequently convicted him.

He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, in addition to a fine of SR100,000, the source confirmed.

He also stressed the Public Prosecution's continuation to take strict criminal measures against all the drugs and psychotropic substances crimes, and will not hesitate in referring the accused to the competent court, to demand the imposition of the most severe penalties. This comes with the aim of protecting society from the danger of drugs that threaten security and health.