RIYADH: Road security forces in Madinah apprehended two Asian expats who were caught in possession of a huge amount of money totaling SR1.6 million and talismans.

“The two Asians were riding in a Japanese-made car when they were stopped at the Yanbu-Madinah highway. The security forces became suspicious and searched the two Asians,” an online report said.

The security forces found that the Asian expats also possessed talismans. A talisman is a small amulet or other object, often bearing magical symbols and worn for protection against evil spirits or the supernatural.

“Talismans have a wide variety of purposes as each one is specifically made for the intention of helping each individual,” the report said.

Searching the car, the security forces found on the backseat a backpack containing the huge amount of cash, in addition to a piece of metal with writings that could not be understood.

When the expats could not say where the money came from and could not explain why they had talismans, they were arrested and handed over to competent authorities.

The security forces added that the two expats’ case was only one of many arrests which authorities had made along the Yanbu-Madinah Highway.

They said that earlier, a highway patrol group also stopped and man and a wife at a checkpoint.

They were found to be in possession of 90,000 narcotics pills in addition to a weapon and more than SR200,000 cash stashed away inside the car.

Another highway patrol along the same highway also stopped another man at a highway and was found to be also in possession of unknown amount of narcotics pills.

They said that individuals engaged in illegal activities could succeed once but not all the time.