Saudi authorities arrest 10 transporters for smuggling illegal Hajj pilgrims into Makkah

MAKKAH, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th May, 2026) The Saudi Ministry of Interior has arrested 10 individuals comprising five Saudi citizens and five expatriates at checkpoints leading to Makkah for transporting 34 individuals attempting to perform Hajj without valid permits.

According to the ministry, the Seasonal Administrative Committees have issued immediate punitive rulings against the violators. Under the regulations, transporters smuggling unauthorized pilgrims face financial penalties of up to SAR 100,000, jail time, and public naming-and-shaming in local media. Concurrently, individuals caught attempting to perform Hajj without an official permit face fines of up to SAR 20,000.

The administrative decisions further mandate that the expatriate violators will be deported upon serving their sentences and barred from re-entering the Kingdom for a period of 10 years. Additionally, the vehicles utilized to transport the unauthorized pilgrims will be legally confiscated through judicial orders.

The Ministry of Interior reiterated its call to all citizens and foreign residents to strictly comply with Hajj rules and guidelines, warning that law enforcement agencies will continue to take uncompromising action against any violators to ensure the safety and organization of the pilgrimage.