Two Indonesians Arrested Again by Makkah Police for Offering Fake Hajj Services
Police in the Makkah region have arrested a Saudi national on suspicion of criminal fraud and document forgery involving a fake permit to enter the Makkah area in Saudi Arabia.
In a separate incident, security patrols in Makkah also detained two Indonesian citizens (WNI) residing there for allegedly committing fraud. The pair reportedly uploaded advertisements on social media offering fake and misleading Hajj services, as quoted by Republika from the Saudi Gazette website on Sunday (10/5/2026).
Upon arrest, officers found evidence in the form of fake Hajj cards and various pieces of equipment used to carry out the fraudulent activities. The three arrested individuals have been handed over to the Public Prosecution after the necessary legal procedures were completed.
The Directorate General of Public Security urges all citizens and expatriates to always comply with regulations and instructions related to Hajj arrangements. The authorities also request that the public report any violations immediately via the 911 service number for the Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and Eastern Province areas, and 999 for other parts of the Kingdom.
Hajj Task Force
The Task Force (Satgas) for Preventing Non-Procedural Hajj has uncovered various new methods used by illegal Hajj pilgrims to enter Saudi Arabia, from using work visas, disguising themselves as regular passengers, to transiting through other countries before flying to the Holy Land.
Secretary of the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah Organisational Development at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Rizka Anungnata, stated that since the Task Force was formed on 18 April 2026, they have identified 95 prospective pilgrims attempting to depart using non-Hajj visas. Meanwhile, 80 Indonesian citizens have been successfully prevented from boarding at airports. “These 95 are prospective pilgrims using non-Hajj visas. Most of the methods involve work visas,” said Rizka in Jakarta on Friday (8/5/2026).