13 People Arrested for Attempting Illegal Entry to Mecca and Hajj Fraud
Saudi Arabian Hajj Security Forces have arrested 12 expatriates and one Saudi citizen for violating hajj regulations and requirements across three separate incidents, bringing the total number of arrests to 13 people.
In the first incident, five Turkish nationals were apprehended for violating hajj regulations and instructions by attempting to enter Mecca through dirt roads and valleys without obtaining proper hajj permits. Legal action has been taken against them.
In the second incident, security patrols in Mecca arrested four nationals from India and Bangladesh for fraud and embezzlement through issuing fake and misleading advertisements for hajj services on social media platforms. Authorities confiscated counterfeit cards, documents, and tools used in the crimes. Legal action has been taken against the suspects, who have been referred to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Hajj Security Forces also arrested a Saudi Arabian citizen who attempted to bring three Afghan nationals to Mecca without official hajj permits, according to Saudi Gazette on Sunday, 24 May 2026.
The Saudi security authorities urged Saudi citizens and expatriates to comply with hajj regulations and requirements and to cooperate with relevant authorities to ensure the safety and security of pilgrims. Saudi Arabian authorities emphasised that violators will face legal sanctions.
Authorities also urged the public to report violations by contacting 911 in the Mecca, Medina, Riyadh, and Eastern Province regions, as well as 999 in other areas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
In Indonesia, Ngurah Rai Immigration Office delayed the departure of 13 Indonesian nationals suspected of planning to perform hajj through non-procedural means at the International Departure Terminal of I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport on Friday, 22 May 2026.
“The delay was implemented after immigration officers found several irregularities during immigration screening of a group of passengers intending to depart for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,” said Bugie Kurniawan, Head of Ngurah Rai Immigration Office, in a statement on Saturday, 23 May 2026.