Criminal Investigation Department Arrests Minor Selling E-Cigarettes Laced with 'Chemical' Drugs

The Criminal Security Sector, represented by the General Administration of Criminal Investigations, has apprehended a juvenile involved in possessing and distributing the chemical liquid used to fill electronic cigarettes, as part of ongoing security efforts to protect juveniles and combat drugs and psychoactive substances.

The Ministry of the Interior stated in a press release that the arrest followed intelligence reports and necessary inquiries conducted by the Juvenile Protection Department regarding the suspect’s possession of drugs and psychoactive substances with the intent to traffic and consume them. The suspect’s location was identified, and legal authorization was obtained from the Public Prosecution to arrest and search him.

The ministry added that after arresting the suspect in the Al-Firdaws area, authorities found 40 empty electronic cigarettes and a 120-milliliter bottle containing the chemical liquid on his person. He also led investigators to several locations in the Farwaniya area, where 24 electronic cigarettes pre-filled with the same liquid were discovered.

Upon being confronted with the seized items, the suspect admitted to possessing them for personal use and trafficking to generate financial profit. He stated that he obtained the substances through an intermediary who supplied them. The ministry noted that appropriate legal procedures have been initiated against him, paving the way for his referral to the competent authorities.

The ministry emphasized its continued efforts to protect juveniles from the dangers of drugs and psychoactive substances and to counteract their distribution methods. It urged parents to monitor their children, strengthen communication and ongoing dialogue with them, and educate them about the risks of smoking and drug use, as well as the methods used to promote them, thereby helping to safeguard them from falling victim to addiction and exploitation.