3 expats arrested in Saudi Arabia over illegal money transfers
SR780,000 seized in one suspect’s house in police crackdown
Cairo: Saudi police had arrested three expatriates suspected of illegally collecting money of unknown origin and transferring them to outside the kingdom, Saudi media reported.
The trio, who are Sudanese nationals, were arrested in the eastern city of Dammam.
They had transferred the dubious money to outside the kingdom illegally through bank accounts, the Saudi news agency SPA said.
Police seized SR780,000 in one suspect’s house, it added.
They were referred to public prosecution.
Saudi media recently carried reports about several arrests over illegal money transfers.
Last August, a Saudi court handed down a two-year prison sentence to an expatriate caught attempting to smuggle $279,000 outside the kingdom in boxes of dates.
The defendant, who holds an African nationality, had been caught at the King Abdulaziz Airport in Jeddah.
Investigations revealed that the man had attempted to smuggle the dollar cache inside two dates boxes stashed in his bag in violation of the kingdom’s laws.
He had also SR5,000 in his possession at the time of arrest.
The man was charged with money laundering and referred to the court that also ordered the seized money be confiscated and his deportation from the kingdom after he serves the jail term.
Prosecution has appealed against the ruling, requesting a tougher penalty.
Saudi Arabia’s public prosecution has repeatedly asserted keenness to protect national economy and warned that violators of the country’s financial system will be brought to justice.