������Ƶ

RIYADH: ������Ƶ’s General Directorate of Narcotics Control has assisted the UAE to thwart an attempt to smuggle 89,760 amphetamine pills into the country, the Ministry of Interior’s security spokesman said on Sunday.

The banned drugs were hidden in a consignment of clothing accessories, Brig. Gen. Talal bin Shalhoub said in a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

Shalhoub stated that the monitoring of criminal networks involved in drug smuggling, along with information shared by the GDNC with its UAE counterpart, led to the operation’s success.

In addition, Saudi authorities said customs operations at land, air and sea ports in the Kingdom recorded 1,371 seizures of prohibited items in a single week, the SPA reported.

The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority, or ZATCA, said there were 47 cases involving hashish, cocaine, heroin, shabu, and captagon pills, and 333 of other prohibited substances.

Customs officials also thwarted 1,046 attempts to smuggle tobacco and its derivatives into the country. They further dealt with 15 cases related to sums of money, and three incidents involving weapons and their accessories, the SPA stated in a separate report.

The ZATCA has called on the public to support its efforts by reporting smuggling activities through its designated hotline, 1910, via email at [email protected], or by calling the international number 009661910.

The ZATCA assured the public that all reports will be treated confidentially, with financial rewards for accurate information.

MAKKAH: Al-Namas International Sculpture Symposium wrapped up in Asir region recently, bringing together leading Arab sculptors under the theme “Linear Rhythms.”

Organized by Al-Namas municipality with artistic direction from Saudi sculptor Mohammed Al-Thaqafi, the symposium, which concluded on Aug. 26, highlighted the governorate’s ambition to strengthen its visual identity and enhance public spaces with contemporary art.

The theme drew inspiration from Al-Namas’s striking topography, where mountain ridges and cloud lines merge into sweeping horizons. This natural geometry guided the artists’ designs and interpretations.

Ten renowned sculptors from across the Arab world took part: Saudi representatives Al-Thaqafi, Ali Al-Tokhais, and Ebtesam Saleh were joined by Morocco’s Ikram Kabbaj, the UAE’s Azza Al-Qubaisi, Qatar’s Mohammed Al-Ateeq, Oman’s Yousuf Al-Rawahi, Sudan’s Khalid Abdullah, Tunisia’s Mohammed Bou Aziz, and Egypt’s Omar Toussoun.

Working with locally sourced stone, they created large-scale pieces now installed in gardens and public areas, blending modern creativity with Saudi heritage.

Al-Thaqafi told Arab News the event was a platform for celebrating visual culture while making art accessible to the community.

He emphasized sculpture’s role in “advancing visual literacy and urban beautification,” adding that the medium “expresses identity and spirit while transforming public areas into creative showcases of local aesthetics and heritage.”

He noted the symposium’s growth in scope and ambition each year, with Al-Namas aspiring to become a regional hub for public art, and he said expressed optimism that other Saudi cities will embrace comparable initiatives.

Participants praised both the artistic exchange and Al-Namas’s natural setting.

Egyptian sculptor Toussoun described the invitation as one of the most prestigious moments of his career, drawing inspiration from the region’s “mountainous terrain, valleys, and captivating landscapes.”

Qatari artist Al-Ateeq highlighted the strength of Gulf and Arab participation, saying the symposium offered artists “ideal working conditions” to bring large-scale ambitious visions to life.

With its cool climate, scenic beauty, and cultural vibrancy, Al-Namas continues to position itself as both a tourism draw and a rising cultural destination where art, nature and heritage intersect.