Saudi police have arrested 11 expatriates involved in a fraudulent scheme promoting false Hajj pilgrimage tours, marking the latest in a series of arrests as the kingdom prepares for the annual pilgrimage season.

Among those detained were four Pakistanis and a Myanmar national, who were caught touting fake Hajj campaigns and selling counterfeit pilgrimage permits in Mecca. Authorities confiscated unspecified sums of money, seals, cellphones, and computers from them. Additionally, an Egyptian resident was arrested for defrauding others by promoting a fake Hajj campaign and selling false bracelets meant for pilgrims during their holy journey.

Moreover, five expatriates, including an Indonesian visitor, were arrested on similar charges. They were found with unspecified sums of money, seals, cellphones, computers, and printers.

Saudi authorities have intensified their crackdown on irregular pilgrims, announcing the apprehension of thousands of foreign visitors attempting to perform Hajj without an official permit. Authorities have repeatedly emphasized that a visit visa does not qualify its holder to perform Hajj and have warned against fraudsters promoting bogus Hajj tours.

A security official reported that Saudi forces have uncovered 140 fake Hajj campaigns and detained 64 transporters who violated Hajj regulations. Chief of Public Security and head of the Hajj Security Committee, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Al Bassami, stated that 97,664 unauthorized vehicles and 171,587 people without Mecca residency have been turned back and denied access to the city.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior has vowed stringent penalties against violators of Hajj rules within certain areas, including Mecca, the Central Area, and sacred places during the period of June 2-20. Violators of Hajj regulations, whether citizens, foreign residents, or visitors without a Hajj permit, are subject to a fine of SR10,000. Expatriate violators will also be deported and barred from re-entry into the kingdom, with the fine doubling for repeat offenses. Anyone caught transporting violators of Hajj-related instructions or illegal pilgrims faces up to six months in jail and a maximum fine of SR50,000.