Hajj pilgrims buy an estimated 25 percent of the gold and jewelry sold in Saudi Arabia each year, according to an official at the Council of Saudi Chambers on Friday.
A Saudi economic newspaper quoted Kareem al-Anzy, the chairman of the National Committee for Precious Metals and Gems at the Council of Saudi Chambers, on its website as saying “The majority of pilgrims’ purchases are of golden artifacts, while purchases of jewelry are few.”
He added that some of those who visit Saudi Arabia during the Hajj season bring fake gold artifacts, but this rarely happens. The counterfeiters rarely pass them by the local shopkeepers who have good knowledge of precious metals, he added.
The smugglers try to sell their fake gold and jewelry directly, both to citizens of Saudi Arabia and visiting pilgrims.
Edited translation from MENA
