Saudi authorities prevent entry of drugs /node/2596723/saudi-arabia
Saudi authorities prevent entry of drugs
Saudi narcotic control authority at Jeddah Islamic Port successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle 46.8 kg of cocaine concealed in a shipment coming to the Kingdom through the port. (SPA)
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Updated 11 April 2025
Arab News
Saudi authorities prevent entry of drugs
The authority said that the cocaine had been concealed in the refrigeration unit of a shipment of frozen chicken and had been found during customs procedures
Updated 11 April 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: Saudi authorities have launched a series of crackdowns across the Kingdom to halt the entry of illegal substances into the country.
Border Guard land patrols in Sharurah, Najran, resulted in the arrest of three Ethiopians for violating the border security system after they had attempted to smuggle 32 kg of hashish.
The Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority at Jeddah Islamic Port successfully foiled an attempt to smuggle 46.8 kg of cocaine concealed in a shipment coming to the Kingdom through the port.
The authority said that the cocaine had been concealed in the refrigeration unit of a shipment of frozen chicken and had been found during customs procedures. It was detected using security technologies and live detection methods.
Border Guard land patrols in Al-Raboah, Asir, arrested five Yemenis and Ethiopians violating the border security system after they attempted to smuggle 80 kg of qat.
Meanwhile, land patrols in the Al-Ardah region of Jazan successfully thwarted the smuggling of 135 kg of qat.
Preliminary legal procedures in all the cases have been completed and the seized items handed over to the competent authority.
Citizens and residents are urged to report drug smuggling or sales by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, or 999 in other regions.
Reports can also be submitted confidentially to the General Directorate of Narcotics Control at 995 or via email at [email protected].
Noor Riyadh announces artists for this year鈥檚 festival of light and art
This year鈥檚 curatorial theme, 鈥淚n the Blink of an Eye,鈥 reflects the rapid transformation shaping Riyadh
Updated 05 November 2025
Nada Alturki
RIYADH: The annual Noor Riyadh, the region鈥檚 largest international festival of light and art, has announced its list of participating artists, gearing up for the 2025 launch that will run from Nov. 20-Dec. 6.
The show, curated by Mami Kataoka, Li Zhenhua and Sara Almutlaq, takes place in various hubs across Riyadh and will include 60 artworks by 59 artists, representing 24 nationalities, with 35 newly commissioned pieces.
鈥淣oor Riyadh is defined by its artists; their ideas, their courage and their vision,鈥 said Nouf Almoneef, festival director of Noor Riyadh. 鈥淓ach work captures the city鈥檚 momentum through light, reminding us that creativity is a universal language that connects cultures and inspires dialogue.鈥
Italian artist Michelangelo Pistoletto's "Love Difference" (2025). (Supplied)
This year鈥檚 curatorial theme, 鈥淚n the Blink of an Eye,鈥 reflects the rapid transformation shaping Riyadh.
The festival will present work responding to the theme by leading international and local artists, including Saad Al-Howede, Monira Al-Qadiri, Abdulrahman Al-Soliman, James Clar, Ivana Franke, fuse*, Ayoung Kim, Shinji Ohmaki, Michelangelo Pistoletto and Muhannad Shono.
The show will also include a special installation dedicated to the work of the late Safeya Binzagr (1940鈥2024), a leading figure of 黑料社区鈥檚 modern art movement and the first female Saudi artist to hold a solo exhibition in 1968.
Croatian artist Ivana Franke's "Center" (2024). (Supplied)
鈥淟ight is both a medium and a metaphor for transformation,鈥 said Kataoka, the curatorial advisory lead. 鈥溾業n the Blink of an Eye鈥 reveals how quickly perception can shift 鈥 offering a moment to pause within the momentum of change and see beauty in what is constantly evolving.鈥
The 2025 festival is led by an international curatorial team that brings together distinct perspectives on contemporary culture, whose vision connects Riyadh鈥檚 historical heart to its modern skyline and metro network. The show invites audiences to encounter light as a medium for perception, memory and momentum.
The festival鈥檚 program will have Noor Riyadh unfold across six locations this year: Qasr Al-Hokm District, King Abdulaziz Historical Center, stc Metro Station, KAFD Metro Station, Al-Faisaliah Tower and JAX District.
Saudi artist Saad Al-Howede's "Memory Melting" (2025). (Supplied)
Held under the umbrella of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and Riyadh Art, Noor Riyadh echoes Riyadh Art鈥檚 mission to transform the Kingdom鈥檚 capital city by sparking creativity and enriching daily lives.
Since its inception, Riyadh Art has showcased more than 550 artworks by 500 Saudi and international artists, attracting more than 9.6 million visitors and spectators through its major programs. Noor Riyadh transforms everyday public spaces into distinctive encounters, hoping to create a sense of shared wonder across communities through art.
The full list of the festival鈥檚 2025 participating artists includes: Addie Wagenknecht (US), Abdulrahman Al-Soliman (黑料社区), Abdelrahman Elshahed (黑料社区), Ahmad Angawi (黑料社区), Alex Schweder (US), Alexandra Gelis (Colombia and Canada), Ayoung Kim (South Korea), atelier oi + WonderGlass (Switzerland), Christian Partos (Sweden), Christophe Berthonneau (France), dies_ (Italy), Saad Al-Howede (黑料社区), Edwin van der Heide (Netherlands), Encor Studio (Switzerland), Fatma Abdulhadi (黑料社区), Francesco Simeti (Italy), fuse* (Italy), Guillaume Cousin (France), Hmoud Alattawi (黑料社区), Iregular (Canada), Ivana Franke (Croatia), James Clar (Philippines and US), Karolina Halatek (Poland), Khalid Zahid (黑料社区), Kurt Hentschlager (Austria), Laszlo Zsolt Bordos (Hungary), Loris Cecchini (Italy), Marnix De Nijs (Netherlands), Michelangelo Pistoletto (Italy), Mohammed Farea (黑料社区), Monira Al-Qadiri (Kuwait), Muhannad Shono (黑料社区), n + n Corsino (France), Nebras Aljoaib (黑料社区), Obaid Alsafi (黑料社区), Otolab (Italy), Plastique Fantastique (Germany), Random International (UK), Rejane Cantoni (Brazil), Robert Seidel (Germany), Roman Hill (US and France), Ryoichi Kurokawa (Japan), Safeya Binzagr (黑料社区), Saeed Gebaan (黑料社区), Shinji Ohmaki (Japan), Shiro Takatani (Dumb Type, Japan), Shun Ito (Japan), Six N. Five (Ezequiel Pini, Argentina), someform Studio (Germany), Studio Above&Below (UK), Tonoptik (Russia), Traumnovelle (Belgium), Vali Chincisan (Romania), Wang Yuyang (China), Wu Chi-Tsung (Taiwan), Zeitguised (Germany), Zhang Zengzeng (China), Zheng Da (China) and Ziyad Alroqi (黑料社区).
