MINA: Hajj security forces at Makkah’s entrances have apprehended one expatriate and seven citizens for violating Hajj regulations by transporting 18 individuals without valid permits.
The Ministry of Interior issued fines of up to SR100,000 against transporters and all those involved. Fines of up to SR20,000 were also imposed on those who were attempting to perform Hajj without a permit. The ministry has said expatriate violators will be deported and banned from re-entering the Kingdom for 10 years after serving their sentences.
In a separate incident, security forces arrested a Yemeni resident for transporting three residents of the same nationality through dirt roads and valleys in an attempt to enter and remain in Makkah without a Hajj permit. Eight Turkish nationals were also arrested for attempting to enter and remain in Makkah without the necessary permission.
The ministry has called for the confiscation of vehicles used in transporting violators and stressed that obtaining an official Hajj permit was a basic requirement. It has urged everyone to comply with Hajj regulations and cooperate with the competent authorities to ensure pilgrims’ safety and security.
It also called on the public to report violations via 911 in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and the Eastern Region, and 999 in the rest of the Kingdom.
