The Ghanaian Minaret

Makkah: Hajj Security Forces have arrested a Ghanaian resident for attempting to illegally transport four female expatriates to Makkah in violation of Hajj regulations and instructions.

The man, who was driving a bus, tried to smuggle the women into the holy city without Hajj permits by hiding them in the luggage compartment.

According to the Saudi Press Agency, the authorities have apprehended the driver and the passengers, and all were referred to the competent committee to implement legal penalties.

The Saudi authority is keen on ensuring that this year’s hajj is conducted in a conducive and safe manner.

It would be recalled that last year’s pilgrimage took place in mid-June, the start of the Saudi summer, and more than 1,300 pilgrims never made it home.

Upon further investigations, the authorities indicated that lethal heat combined with humidity proved deadly for the affected pilgrims, the majority of whom performed Hajj without permits.