WNAM REPORT: The Saudi Ministry of Interior has intensified its crackdown on Hajj regulation violators, announcing administrative decisions against 19 individuals—five expatriates and 14 citizens—caught transporting 29 unauthorized persons into the holy sites, the Saudi Press Agency has reported.
These arrests are part of a broader, month-long enforcement campaign that has seen various Saudi security branches, including the Makkah Region Police and the General Administration of Mujahideen, dismantle smuggling and fraud rings.
Since April, authorities have targeted not only transporters but also those involved in forging Hajj wristbands, Nusuk cards, and residency permits, with arrests involving individuals of Sudanese, Egyptian, Yemeni, Afghan, and Pakistani nationalities.
Transport violations include using unpaved roads and valleys to smuggle individuals into Makkah without Hajj permits, and entering/remaining in Makkah without permits. Posting of fake Hajj service advertisements on social media and documenting and sharing Hajj regulation violations on social media were among the violations cited by authorities.
The penalties for the 19 violators apprehended most recently are severe. Seasonal administrative committees have issued fines of up to SAR 100,000 for transporters and accomplices. Furthermore, the offenders face imprisonment, public naming (“shaming”), and the potential judicial confiscation of their vehicles.
For the 29 individuals attempting to perform Hajj without a permit, the ministry imposed fines of up to SAR 20,000 each. Expatriate violators face immediate deportation and a subsequent 10-year ban from re-entering the Kingdom.
The General Directorate of Public Security reiterated that these measures are essential to ensure the safety and security of legitimate pilgrims. Authorities continue to urge the public to report any suspected violations via the unified emergency numbers 911 (Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and Eastern Province regions) or 999 for other parts of the Kingdom.
