Article 8 of the Saudi Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law
المادة 8 من نظام مكافحة المخدرات والمؤثرات العقلية
The article requires the authorities to pursue anyone who participates in, incites, assists in or attempts outside the Kingdom an Article Three offense if the intention is to facilitate its commission inside the Kingdom.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على السلطات المختصة في المملكة اتخاذ الإجراءات وملاحقة الأشخاص المتهمين بالاشتراك الجرمي والمساهمة الأصلية أو التبعية أو عن طريق المساعدة بالتدخل أو التحريض أو الإعداد أو الشروع في ارتكاب إحدى الجرائم المنصوص عليها في المادة الثالثة من هذا النظام خارج أراضي المملكة، إذا كان قصد المتهمين تمهيد أو تسهيل ارتكاب جريمة من هذه الجرائم داخل المملكة.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 8 explained in plain English
Many drug smuggling operations are planned and prepared outside the Kingdom while their target is inside it. This article therefore requires the competent authorities to take measures and pursue those accused of acts they committed outside the territory of the Kingdom, namely:
- criminal participation and principal or secondary contribution,
- assistance by intervention,
- incitement,
- preparation,
- attempt,
in committing one of the offenses provided for in Article Three, which are the criminalized acts such as smuggling, importation, possession, trafficking and money laundering.
The basic condition here is intent: the intention of the accused must be to prepare or facilitate the commission of one of these offenses inside the Kingdom. What matters is the aim of the act, not the place where it is committed. The article does not require the accused to be a Saudi, unlike Article Seven, which concerns the Saudi citizen who commits the offense abroad.
The article thus closes a gap that could be exploited by someone who prepares for the offense from beyond the borders, thinking that his presence abroad keeps him from being pursued. Anyone facing an accusation of this kind would do well to consult a lawyer specialized in criminal cases.
Practical example
A person living in a neighboring country agrees with others to hide a shipment of narcotic pills in a truck headed for the Kingdom, and handles preparing it there. Even if he never entered the Kingdom himself, Article Eight requires the Saudi authorities to pursue him, because his intention was to facilitate the commission of the offense inside the Kingdom.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 8 of the Saudi Anti-Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Law
Is someone who planned abroad to smuggle drugs into Saudi Arabia pursued?
Yes, if he participated, incited, assisted, prepared or attempted an Article Three offense and his intention was to prepare or facilitate its commission inside the Kingdom.
Does the accused have to be a Saudi?
Article Eight does not require the nationality of the accused; it ties pursuit to the intention to facilitate the offense inside the Kingdom.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Jurisdiction, International Cooperation and Enforcement
- Article 4
The article sets the cases in which the Saudi authorities may monitor and pursue those who commit narcotics offenses, inside the Kingdom and on ships and aircraft.
للسلطات المختصة في المملكة مراقبة مرتكبي الجرائم المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام وملاحقتهم في الأحوال الآتية: 1 - إذا وقعت الجريمة داخل إقليم المملكة أو امتدت نتيجة
- Article 5
The article allows the Saudi authorities to request the help of other States to seize drug smuggling on a ship on the high seas believed to be flying the flag of the Kingdom.
للسلطات المختصة في المملكة أن تطلب مساعدة دول أخرى لضبط التهريب أو الاتجار غير المشروع في المخدرات أو المؤثرات العقلية على سفينة في أعالي البحار متى توافرت لديه
- Article 6
The article makes the jurisdiction rules in Articles 4 and 17 of the 1988 United Nations Convention complementary to and clarifying of the jurisdiction rules in the Law.
تعد قواعد الاختصاص -الواردة في المادتين (الرابعة) و(السابعة عشر) من اتفاقية الأمم المتحدة لعام 1988م، بشأن الاختصاص بملاحقة جرائم المخدرات أو المؤثرات العقلية ا
- Article 7
The article requires the authorities to pursue and punish a Saudi who commits an Article Three offense outside the Kingdom if it is punishable there and he was not pursued or punished for it.
1- على السلطات المختصة في المملكة ملاحقة ومعاقبة أي مواطن سعودي أقدم -خارج المملكة- على ارتكاب جريمة من الجرائم المنصوص عليها في المادة ( الثالثة ) من هذا النظا
- Article 9
The article requires the Saudi authorities to provide mutual legal assistance under the laws and agreements to which the Kingdom is a party, and to observe the principle of reciprocity.
تلتزم السلطات المختصة في المملكة بتقديم المساعدة القانونية المتبادلة وفقا للأنظمة واللوائح والاتفاقيات التي تكون المملكة طرفا فيها، كما تلتزم بمبدأ المعاملة بال
- Article 10
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations the body competent for legal assistance requests, their form and contents, accepting, refusing or postponing them, and the conditions for their use.
تحدد اللائحة الجهة المخولة بالنظر في طلبات المساعدة وشكلها ومحتوياتها والاستجابة لها أو رفضها أو تأجيلها وشروط استخدامها.
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.