Maj Gen. Mansour Al-Turki

A large amount of cash, weapons and amphetamine pills were seized as security cells rounded up two cells comprising 12 members, the Interior Ministry announced Sunday.

The confiscated items included three machine guns, 11 pistols, 297 bullets and more than two kilograms of jewelry, said ministry spokesperson Maj Gen. Mansour Al-Turki.

He said 2,522,400 amphetamine pills and cash worth SR3,151,750 and $40,000 were seized from the gangs. The cells comprised seven Saudis, three Syrians, an Indian and a Pakistani.

Security authorities arrested the members of the first cell in Riyadh acting on a tip-off. Investigations revealed that the suspects, led by a Syrian, had smuggled large quantities of amphetamine pills into the Kingdom.

Security authorities tracked the smuggled shipment, which had been transported to the hideout via two trucks, driven by a Pakistani and an Indian driver.

The smuggled shipment comprised 2,105,000 amphetamine pills. The police operation resulted in the arrest of a Saudi and three Syrians, including a woman, in addition to the truck drivers in Riyadh, Madinah and in the Eastern Province.

Based on information provided by the arrested suspects, police successfully raided the second cell’s hideout and rounded up its members, including six Saudis. Police said 417,400 amphetamine pills were seized during the operation.

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