SAUDI ARABIA MAKES LARGEST EVER DRUG BUST

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SAUDI ARABIA MAKES LARGEST EVER DRUG BUST OF FIVE TONS OF HASHISH

RIYADH - Saudi security forces made the kingdom's largest ever drug bust,
foiling a bid to smuggle in more than five tons of hashish, a newspaper
reported Tuesday, citing drug enforcement agency officials.

"The Drug Combating Department in the Riyadh region, in cooperation with
the customs at the dry port in Riyadh, foiled an attempt to smuggle 5,200
kilograms (11,464 pounds) of hashish into the kingdom," on Monday, Arab
News quoted the departments director as saying.

Eight suspects, "seven from an east Asian country and one Arab," were
arrested as they attempted to receive the cargo at a warehouse, said Major
General Othman al-Assaf.

Another three suspected of taking part in the operation were arrested
later, he added.

"The drug consignment contained 5,291 kilograms of hashish, which is the
largest quantity of drugs ever seized in the history of the kingdom of
Saudi Arabia," the official said.

Saudi Arabia applies a strict form of sharia, or Islamic law, and convicted
drug traffickers can face beheading.

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500 KG DRUGS SEIZED IN BAHRAIN

From a correspondent

MANAMA - The Bahrain Coast Guard seized more than 500kg of hashish and
arrested two Bahrainis on Friday in the second large drug bust in three
days. The two were arrested at sea on a boat heading to eastern Saudi
Arabia as they attempted to smuggle the drug to a Saudi dealer.

The boat was stopped after leaving the coast of Budaiya and the Coast Guard
confiscated seven large bags where the drugs were hidden.

Sources said that the drugs were believed to have arrived into Bahrain from
a neighbouring country.

The Public Prosecutor office issued a warrant for a Saudi suspect who had
agreed on a deal with the two Bahrainis to smuggle the drugs into Saudi
Arabia in exchange for money. This was the second large seizure of hashish
in Bahrain after Coast Guard officials seized about 130kg heading to Saudi
Arabia on Wednesday. Three Bahrainis were arrested in that operation and
the authorities were able to retrieve three of six barrels containing the
drugs that had been dumped into the sea after a Bahraini helicopter
cornered the suspects off the coast of Dammam.