Border Patrols Claim they Seize Tons of Contraband While Rights Groups Warn of Rushed Capital Trials and Limited Legal Access for Foreign Nationals
By Staff Writer
NAIROBI, Kenya — Saudi Arabian authorities have taken at least 60 Ethiopian nationals into custody during August 2026 for allegedly smuggling narcotics and controlled substances, including khat and hashish.
On Wednesday, August 26, 2026, security forces arrested 15 additional Ethiopians found in possession of 290 kilograms of khat. The Saudi Border Guard General Directorate reported that border patrols intercepted 12 suspects across three operations in the Jazan and Asir provinces. Simultaneously, officers in Riyadh province detained three other Ethiopian nationals for allegedly peddling illegal drugs.
Saudi authorities have executed a crackdown on international drug smuggling networks across nine separate operations since August 2. In addition to khat, authorities seized 33 kilograms of hashish and over 72,000 controlled pills in the Asir and Jazan regions. Officials completed initial legal proceedings before referring the suspects to public prosecution.
The wave of arrests unfolds against a backdrop of intense international scrutiny regarding Saudi Arabia’s enforcement of capital punishment for drug offenses. Human Rights Watch reported that Saudi Arabia has executed at least 17 Ethiopian nationals since January, following a series of executions carried out in June and July. Sources on the ground estimate that roughly 200 Ethiopians currently remain on death row in the Kingdom.
Data shows that drug-related convictions accounted for 68 percent of the 365 executions carried out in Saudi Arabia last year. Human rights groups and detainees have raised grave concerns over judicial fairness, alleging that capital cases involving foreign migrants are rushed without legal representation or translation services. Detainees report that judicial proceedings often consist of a single court appearance followed immediately by a death sentence, leaving no avenue for appeal.
Some individuals facing execution told the BBC that human traffickers lured them into carrying illicit substances with financial incentives or deception.
In response to the crisis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that it remains in close communication with Saudi authorities regarding Ethiopian citizens undergoing legal proceedings. The ministry noted that a total of 1,971 Ethiopian prisoners in Saudi Arabia recently received royal pardons.
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