JEDDAH — Some unscrupulous elements are charging anywhere between SR300 to SR1,500 to smuggle pilgrims without Haj permits into Makkah. Disguised as a pilgrim with no permit, an Al-Madina reporter uncovered the fees people pay and the methods used to smuggle people into Makkah. Smuggling operations start in the backstreets of Makkah and Jeddah, including Kilo Ten and the intersection of King Fahd Road. Charges differ, ranging from SR300 for a seat in a larger vehicle, to SR1,500 for the more expensive methods. Those using smugglers dress in regular clothing so as not to appear suspicious, and then change into their Haj clothing (ihram) inside Makkah, making sure to fulfill the religious conditions that are applied in this situation. Smugglers typically use unpaved roads far from checkpoints between Makkah and Jeddah. One smuggler agreed to take Al-Madina reporter into Makkah for SR500, despite not having a permit. When asked about the route to Makkah, he said: “From Al-Liwa area, there's an unpaved road that gets you to the Grand Mosque in an hour without passing a single checkpoint.” Another smuggler agreed to take an expatriate with an Iqama not issued in Makkah for SR1500, saying that he wouldn't pass through any security checkpoint. Another smuggler approached the reporter and offered transport to Makkah for SR250. Asked about the route, he said: “We will start from Al-Sahil. Pay the total amount to the driver only when you reach Makkah." When asked how he could ensure safety, he said: “Don't worry. There's already another driver who is 8 kilometers ahead monitoring the road for you and communicating with your driver.” Pilgrims without permits said the fees charged by local Haj companies were the main reason for using smugglers. One pilgrim said: “If Allah wills for me to perform Haj this year I will do so with or without a permit. I chose to go without a permit because local Haj campaigns charge large amounts of money.” Haj security forces said they have been monitoring such smugglers and would arrest them before their arrival in Makkah. The head of road security forces, Khalid Al-Qahtani, said that the unit has detained a large number of people who intended to perform Haj without obtaining permits. He said they have arrested 170,000 violators and more than 61,000 vehicles had been confiscated. Al-Qahtani said last year more than 21,000 people had their fingerprints taken and they couldn't process any paperwork until government bodies dealt them with. The head of Haj Passports Department (Jawazat), Dayfullah Al-Howaifi, said that administrative and technical committees this year issued 265 decisions and financial fines worth SR14 million.
