Children used as drug mules
Saleh Al-Omari, commander of the Border Guard in the Twal sector, said that smugglers are continuing to use these children because Saudi Arabia does not imprison them. They are fingerprinted and then sent back home, he said. Al-Omari said these smugglers are endangering the lives of these youngsters by forcing them to travel through dangerous areas on the border including the Tashar, Bin Abdullah and Melh valleys. "Our troops and military are in complete control of the border and do not allow any child to cross over carrying contraband," he was quoted as saying in a local publication on Thursday. When the children were interviewed, many said they did not know that they were being used. There were 30 children arrested recently, between seven and 13 years of age. Some said gangs had told them to cross the border. Abdullah Hassan, 10, said he has been arrested more than once trying to sneak across the border. He was caught with larger amounts of qat every time, to compensate for losing his previous loads. He said his father had asked him to help the gangs because he owes them money. Abdo Ahmad, 11, said one of his friends convinced him to start smuggling. "He asked me to accompany him carrying 30 bags of qat in exchange for only SR300," he said. Another child, Yahya Ali, said this was the second time he has been caught by the military. However, he would try to enter the Kingdom again. Abdullah Baker, 13, has been arrested a record 30 times. He said that he has been forced to try this because of financial problems at home. Another 12-year-old said that smuggling drugs is an easy way to make money. The smugglers pay him between SR20 and SR50 for each bag he sells. The adults arrested on the border often turn on each other. One man got into a fistfight with his friend, after accusing him of being responsible for the contraband. Source: Arab News
