.jpg?20250920')
Saudi Arabia reportedly shut down the Arar border crossing with Iraq for more than a day after authorities discovered a series of drug and alcohol smuggling attempts hidden in buses carrying pilgrims into the Kingdom. The closure left thousands of pilgrims stranded.
Among the seizures made by Saudi authorities were vodka bottles disguised as water, Captagon pills hidden in bread, and containers of arak concealed in windshield washer tanks.
After being stranded for over 24 hours, the pilgrims were eventually allowed to cross the border.
Interestingly, this marks the third time the Arar border crossing has been closed. It was first shut in 1990 during the Gulf War, briefly reopened in 2013, and then closed again. After undergoing heavy restoration, it officially reopened in 2020.
&uuid=(email))