Informed sources within the Cairo International Airport customs revealed that state authorities have reported cases of smuggling within the Hajj and Umrah system, involving some tourism companies operating in this sector.
The sources explained that these companies are exploiting unsuspecting Umrah pilgrims in a systematic circumvention of customs laws, involving organized smuggling of mobile phones, particularly the latest iPhone models.
The sources confirmed that some of these companies, in coordination with their representatives in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have resorted to exploiting a legal loophole that allows travelers arriving from abroad to bring in one mobile phone duty-free once every three years.
According to reports, these companies purchase iPhones from shops in Saudi Arabia and then deliver them to Umrah pilgrims before their return to Egypt, instructing them to register the devices in their names at customs offices in Egyptian airports.
The sources added that the compensation received by the pilgrim varies from case to case, ranging from a partial refund of the Umrah package price to cash payments between LE 3,000-5,000, with some pilgrims unaware of the extent of the violation or the potential legal consequences.
A concerning phenomenon
A source at Cairo International Airport customs reported that airport staff have noticed an unusual increase in the number of pilgrims arriving from Saudi Arabia in recent months who declare they possess new iPhones and wish to register them in their names.
The source indicated that the frequency of this phenomenon has raised concerns, prompting authorities to launch a comprehensive investigation into its causes.
According to sources, investigations revealed that representatives from tourism companies wait for Umrah pilgrims outside the airport arrival halls, collecting phones that have been declared through customs and handing over the agreed-upon sums to the pilgrims before reselling these devices on the local market.
The sources indicated that the financial difference made from these transactions is enormous, exceeding LE 60,000 per device for some recent iPhone models.
The same sources indicated that the relevant authorities have prepared detailed reports on these practices, which have been submitted to the responsible state bodies, paving the way for the necessary legal action.
Investigations are currently underway into the tourism companies involved and their representatives, both within Egypt and those residing in Saudi Arabia, they added.
Sources confirmed that the state is treating this issue as a matter of economic security that drains public treasury resources, in addition to exploiting vulnerable individuals and involving them in serious legal violations.
Decisive action will come to curb these practices and hold those involved accountable, the sources said, in order to preserve the integrity of the Hajj and Umrah system, protect the rights of pilgrims, and ensure the strict application of the law.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
