The Ministry of Haj has fined 51 companies offering services to domestic pilgrims for various violations including operating without valid licenses during Haj last year.

A committee formed to look into the complaints about the violations committed by domestic Haj companies issued 138 penalties to the offending companies, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

While there were 125 cases against licensed companies, there were 13 cases of companies operating illegally.

The violations were either brought to the notice of the committee by the ministry’s inspectors or detected following complaints from pilgrims.

The committee comprised officials of the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Haj and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Haj Minster Bandar Hajjar said many of the erring companies had committed different types of violations and that a repeat of these offenses would incur double the punishment.

The minister added that 13 companies which were operating without a license were fined between SR30,000 to SR60,000 depending on the seriousness of the violation and the number of victims.

Expatriates involved in the violations have been deported and investigations in some cases are still under way, SPA said.