Highest drug deaths in Bahrain in four years

Drug overdose deaths last year more than quadrupled from 2013

Manama

 As many as 31 people died due to drug overdose in the Kingdom last year, statistics of the Interior Ministry reveals.

 Highlighting the menace of narcotics in the Kingdom, the ministry said last year recorded the highest number of drug-overdose deaths compared to the previous four years.

 In 2013, only seven persons succumbed to this problem, while in 2012, it was eight. 2011 and 2010 recorded much higher, 28 and 14 deaths respectively.

 On the other hand, the Kingdom’s Customs Affairs also made significant achievements in thwarting the flow of narcotics into the country last year.

 According to the Customs Affairs statistics, it thwarted 695 smuggling attempts, with the help of latest technologies and expertise.

 Recently, Bahraini authorities stated the seizure of drugs worth BD200 million. According to Interior Ministry Anti-Narcotics Director, Colonel Mubarak bin Huwail Al Murri, they arrested one of the masterminds involved in drug trafficking and seized 24 million Captagon pills, the largest seizure in the history of the Gulf.

 In January, authorities at King Fahad Highway seized as many as 99,457 Captagon pills weighing 16.828 kg.

 The Anti-Narcotics Directorate has also been organising awareness campaigns at schools, universities, clubs and youth centres, in addition to conducting lectures and seminars to promote a narcotic-free society.

  Increase in traffic violations

  Last year, the Kingdom registered as many as 100,881 traffic accidents, which increased from 95,965 in 2013.

 On the other hand, there has been a significant fall in the registration of traffic violations. The authorities registered 320,538 traffic violations last year, much lower than 402,225 in 2013. In 2012, the traffic officials registered a total of 500,826 violations in the Kingdom.