Saudi authorities have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 403,000 Captagon amphetamine pills hidden in a shipment of fava beans inside plastic moulds, the state news agency reported.
The pills were seized in an operation in the Red Sea city of Jeddah, implicating a Saudi citizen and a Syrian resident, according to a statement by the General Directorate of Narcotics Control.
It was not clear where the shipment was heading and an investigation was begun after the arrest of the two suspects.
“The Ministry of Interior with its various security sectors, in co-ordination with the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, continue to confront anyone who might be tempted to target the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its youth with drugs,” a representative of the directorate said.
Trade in the amphetamine-type stimulant Captagon in the Middle East grew last year to more than $5 billion, posing an increasing health and security risk to the region, according to research by the New Lines Institute.
The figure is a jump from an estimated $3.5 billion in 2020 and reflects only the retail value of the pills seized last year, which the think tank said numbered more than 420 million.
Many countries have not divulged aggregated seizure figures for the drug, for which Syria is the main producer and Saudi Arabia the main consumer, according to the report.
Vidaamuyarchi
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Rating: 4/5
The President's Cake
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Director: James Gray
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
