BAGHDAD, Nov. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- The border police in the south of Iraq announced that 52 kg Hashish was seized near the Mohamarah border checkpoint with Saudi Arabia, the Al Sabah newspaper reported on Thursday.

    "The border police in Iraq's southern governorate of Muthana clashed with a group of smugglers near the Mohamarah border checkpoint and seized 52 kg Hashish, but the smugglers escaped," said colonel Ali Al Mosawi, chief of the border and customs police in the southern area.

    These drugs were to be smuggled to the Saudi Arabia, added Mosawi.

    In addition, the police chief said the border police in the southern port city of Basra seized two boats in the waters of Shat Al Arab, which were carrying 100 tons of gasoline, prepared to be smuggled abroad.

    The Iraqi border and customs authorities have managed in the past few months to seize large amounts of drugs and smuggled goods and arrested a good number of smugglers. Enditem