“Fingerprinting and recording individuals’ iris scans contributed immensely toward reducing petty crimes and thefts committed against pilgrims during Ramadan,” said Maj. Mohammed Hussein, spokesman of the department in Makkah. “The biometric system enabled the department to flag those with previous criminal backgrounds and stopped them from leaving the country, even when the suspects attempted to change their identity or forge their papers.” Hussein stated that the advancement in technology, particularly facial recognition, reduced crimes tremendously in previous years.