RIYADH: A Nigerian pilgrim has been arrested by the Saudi police in Makkah for possessing $22,000 of counterfeit cash. He was detained while attempting to change the fake money for other currencies at local moneychangers.
Police said they have not ruled out the possibility this was part of a much larger scam, as it is not the only case of fake currency, which has surfaced during Haj this year.
“The pilgrim, who came from Lagos, was caught while exchanging fake dollars from banks and money exchangers in the holy city,” said a Nigerian community leader Abdullah Isa.
Babatunde Balogun, who is currently visiting the Kingdom, as leader of the Lagos State Haj Delegation has not named the suspect.
One of his accomplices, who was detained on suspicion of complicity in the crime, was released by the police on Saturday, Isa added.
The suspect was said to be in Makkah for Haj with his mother and sister. What punishment has been given to him is not yet known, neither is the fate of the pilgrim’s mother and sister.
Similar cases of forged currency bills were reported during previous Haj seasons. It is suspected that some unscrupulous travel operators make pilgrims scapegoats in their attempts to smuggle fake currencies and drugs into the Kingdom.
