In Photos: Egypt ramps up security, anti-drug measures ahead of New Year

CAIRO – 31 December 2025: Egyptian authorities deployed extensive security measures across the country on Wednesday as citizens celebrate the New Year, aiming to ensure a safe and stable environment for public festivities.

The Interior Ministry raised the alert level to maximum across all its sectors, intensifying patrols and security presence, and implementing measures to protect vital installations, places of worship, tourist sites, hotels, public squares, and other gathering points.

 

Advanced surveillance technologies and monitoring systems were also employed to secure roads leading to major event sites, the ministry says.

Security plans included heightened traffic control on main roads to ensure smooth movement, rapid response to emergencies, and enforcement of traffic regulations to prevent congestion that could disrupt celebrations.

The ministry further expanded the deployment of female police officers in public squares and other crowded areas, enhancing security effectiveness and professional handling of diverse situations.

 

Sub-operations rooms were established in all directorates, operating around the clock to monitor implementation in real time and report incidents promptly.

Authorities emphasized maintaining a human-centered approach in interactions with citizens, ensuring courteous and professional conduct to reinforce a positive image of law enforcement and its role in serving the community.

 

The ministry stressed that security forces would respond decisively to any threats to public safety, fully abiding by the law to maintain stability during New Year celebrations.

Preemptive Anti-Drug Measures

In a preemptive move to combat drug-related risks during the festivities, the ministry conducted large-scale operations targeting drug holders and traffickers over the past days.

These campaigns seized more than 10 tons of various narcotics before they could reach illicit markets, according to the ministry.

 

Confiscated substances included both traditional narcotics and newly synthesized drugs, including highly dangerous types such as ice and shabu, which pose severe risks to users’ health and contribute to violent behavior in society.

The operations also focused on dismantling smuggling networks, tracking supply chains, raiding storage and distribution points, and tightening control over potential trafficking routes.