Huge quantity of hashish, narcotic pills seized

The Land Customs Department recently seized more than 100kilos of hashish in three operations as well as a large number of narcotic pills, local daily Al-Sharq has reported.

The traffickers arrested in this connection have been referred to the departments concerned for legal and police procedures, according to Yousif Ahmed al-Midhadi, director of the department.

The official asserted that the Customs department was the first line of defence in the prevention of offences such as smuggling of drugs, liquor and pornographic materials. Its primary tasks also included clearance of goods and detection of violations in specifications for imported items.

Al-Midhadi referred to plans to increase the number of employees to cope with the rise in the number of travellers and procedures related to export and import.

The department has also prepared a plan to increase the number of electronic detection devices and the establishment of a Customs village at the Abu Samra border post for swifter and more effective procedures.

The official said around 800 trucks crossed the Abu Samra post every day.  

Customs clearance agents have highlighted issues such as lengthy procedures and problems with the electronic system, which led to long delays in the release of goods and vehicles at the post on the Qatar-Saudi border.

Ministerial decisions

HE Minister of Education and Higher Education and Secretary General of Supreme Education Council (SEC) Saad Ibrahim al-Mahmoud issued  a ministerial decision yesterday appointing Mariam Yassin as director of the Office of Communication of the Supreme Education Council (SEC).   

He issued another ministerial decision (No 15 of  2013) appointing Dr Ibrahim Saleh al-Naimi as president of the Community College Qatar (CCQ).  

Al-Naimi was acting president of CCQ since its establishment in September 2010.

Atlas Polyclinic opens in Industrial Area today

Atlas Polyclinic, a venture of the Doha HealthCare Group, opens at the Cricket Stadium Complex in Salwa Industrial Area today.

This will be the sixth multi-specialty clinic to be opened by the group, which owns and manages five other polyclinics in Doha city - Apollo Clinic, Future Medical Centre, Future Dental Centre, Al Esraa Medical Centre and Atlas Medical Centre.

Atlas Polyclinic will offer consultation and out-patient treatment in various medical and dental specialties. Additionally, the clinic will have a medical laboratory where all types of lab investigations can be carried out, a radiology and imaging department for X-rays and ultrasound procedures, and an in-house pharmacy.