Saudi Arabia: 11 Expats nabbed over Hajj fraud amid clampdown

Suspects accused of touting fake pilgrimage tours, permits

Last updated: June 12, 2024 | 15:43

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Among those arrested were four Pakistanis and a Myanmar national, caught touting fake Hajj campaigns and selling spurious pilgrimage permits in Mecca.

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Among those arrested were four Pakistanis and a Myanmar national, caught touting fake Hajj campaigns and selling spurious pilgrimage permits in Mecca.

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Saudi authorities have intensified their crackdown on irregular pilgrims, announcing that they have apprehended thousands of foreign visitors attempting to perform the Hajj without an official permit.

A security official reported that Saudi forces have uncovered 140 fake Hajj campaigns and detained 64 transporters who violated Hajj regulations.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior has vowed stringent penalties against violators of Hajj rules within certain areas, including Mecca, the Central Area, and sacred places during the period of June 2-20.

Violators of Hajj regulations, whether citizens, foreign residents, or visitors without a Hajj permit, are subject to a fine of SR10,000.

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