Niyaf Al-Rowais, Passport Department chief at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, said a group of pilgrims wanted by different security agencies, including Interpol, for their crimes in the past were arrested on their arrival.

“As soon as their biometrics were scanned, they were found to have a history,” Al-Rowais said.

He said another 25 pilgrims were sent back to their countries for arriving in the country on fake passports.

He said the electronic fingerprinting this year was being done for men only. Women and children have been excluded this year. The Passport Directorate has been provided with 142 machines to uncover forgeries.