An Indonesian social media influencer has reportedly been detained by Saudi Arabian authorities for allegedly selling illegal Hajj packages to pilgrims using visit visas to Makkah.
“We are investigating the report,” said Yusron B. Ambary, the Consul General of Indonesia in Jeddah, in a statement on Friday.
He mentioned that the social media influencer suspected of misusing the visit visa is currently under surveillance, and the whereabouts of the pilgrims who were already sent are being tracked.
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Additionally, Saudi authorities are also investigating other social media accounts involved in selling illegal Hajj pilgrimage packages without proper authorization. These accounts lure their victims by promising immediate Hajj trips without the long wait.
Typically, the waiting time for the Hajj queue can extend up to 30 years, with the shortest regular wait being up to 15 years.
Yusron added that their primary task is to regulate and assist the victims who had already paid for the illegal Hajj visas sold by the influencer.
However, at this time, they cannot provide detailed information about the individuals selling the illegal Hajj visas.
“Our actions are more focused on the victims. After the Hajj pilgrimage is completed, we will continue to identify both the victims and the perpetrators,” he said.
Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, will send 554 batches of Hajj pilgrims this year. Indonesia has been allocated a total of 241,000 Hajj slots, with 213,320 designated for “regular Hajj” pilgrims, a program managed directly by the government. The remaining 27,680 slots are reserved for “special Hajj pilgrims,” who will make their pilgrimage to Mecca using private travel agency services.
