Makkah - The Ministry of Interior's Hajj Security Forces intercepted 18 expatriates and 31 citizens at the entrances to Makkah for violating Hajj regulations by transporting 197 individuals who did not hold permits to perform Hajj.
The ministry issued administrative rulings through the seasonal administrative committees against the transporters, accomplices, and unauthorised pilgrims.
Penalties included imprisonment, fines of up to SAR100,000, public naming of the transporters, deportation of expatriates with a 10-year re-entry ban following sentence completion, and legal proceedings for the confiscation of vehicles used in the violations. Unauthorised pilgrims face fines of up to SAR20,000.
The ministry urged all citizens and residents to strictly adhere to Hajj regulations to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims during the performance of their rituals.
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