Safe Travels with SAUDIA. ", Keep up to date with international news by downloading the RFI app. Border customs officers were quick to detect the latest scam efforts in smuggling alcohol into Saudi Arabia. (Twitter/KSA … But I prefer getting my hands on alcohol by using other methods. In 2018, the nation executed at least 59 peoplefor drug crimes, according to Harm Reduction International. There are some non-alcoholic drinks which are special in Saudi Arabia and you can’t get in other countries. "A bottle of wine costs around 200 euros". They also come to have sex outside of marriage. Screen grab of a tweet posted by. There is little official data on the level of consumption in the kingdom, but figures from the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimate that projected alcohol consumption per capita in Saudi Arabia is 0.34 litres of pure alcohol per person per year. Foreign delegates, diplomats, and foreign embassies have an exemption under this subject. They have diplomatic immunity. The punishments can be harsh: Anyone caught in possession of wine, beer or other alcoholic beverages runs the risk of time in jail and flogging. It's far cheaper to make alcohol than buy it, but the quality is far worse. How NOT to smuggle alcohol into Saudi Arabia . They only make me open the boot. In order to head back to Saudi Arabia, one has to cross the border. You will be … Like the rest of Saudi Arabia, pork is banned. And you often struggle to find it. Do Not Drink and Fly. Memos published by WikiLeaks describe their unsuccessful attempts to sneak the booze into the kingdom in amusing detail. you wont be the first nor the last to have tried with more or less success. But I have friends who are more reckless than I am, who slipped a bottle of alcohol into the bottom of their suitcase and claimed that it was a bottle of olive oil when a scan of their bags gave them away. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Human Rights Commission الخميس 22 جماد-تانى 1442 الموافق 4 فبراير 2021 While the process is very similar for both species of animal it is important to be mindful that there are some variations. Karl Andree, 74, was arrested by Saudi … Updates and information related to Travel Guidelines and Requirements due to COVID-19. Tweet posted by, A bottle of whiskey found in a petrol tank. Saudi Arabia is a dry country. If you are flying to Saudi Arabia, do not drink alcohol on the flight. Importing pets into Saudi Arabia can seem like a monumental task. The only emirate where you would get into real trouble is Sharjah. When a friend of mine used to throw alcohol-fueled parties at his place, my invitation was meant for me, and me only. Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country in which Islamic law is strictly enforced. A man who tried to sneak bottles of alcohol into Saudi Arabia. Our customs officers are very skilled at finding "porn smugglers" - they will go through your laptop and hard drives and they know how to search for these things :D A smuggler has been caught trying to sneak beer into Saudi Arabia where alcohol is forbidden. Traveling Saudi Arabia in this video walking in the streets of holy Makkah City. All photos and videos are analyzed and verified by our team. There have also been Saudi prostitutes for a little while now, but they're very expensive. © 2021 Copyright France 24 - All rights reserved. ; Drugs – Trafficking, smuggling, or even personal use of drugs is illegal and can even result in the death penalty. Some alcohol is also produced inside Saudi Arabia despite the fact that it's illegal. These parties, usually held in second homes, must be kept under wraps. From fake crated to industrial looking containers, authorities share on Twitter pictures of the failed tries of getting alcohol into the country, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. 7 Famous Drinks in Saudi Arabia. "You had better know people that work in customs to get alcohol into Saudi Arabia". There are Russian prostitutes, as well as Moroccan and Chinese ones. Want an ad-free experience?Subscribe to Independent Premium. According to a local source, these small-time traffickers usually cross into the country from Bahrain. You'd better hope a weekend of debauchery hasn't left you in too much of a state, otherwise your car will be completely searched. Alcohol is strictly forbidden in the Eastern province like the rest of Saudi Arabia. Screen grab of a tweet posted by Saudi customs. Whether it's by taping bottles of whiskey to their thighs or hiding wine bottles in petrol tanks, some Saudis will go to extraordinary lengths to sneak alcohol into the country. Customs officials in Saudi Arabia peeled off Pepsi labels to uncover 48,000 cans of Heineken being smuggled into the country illegally. Do not get caught though. Alcohol in Saudi Arabia I first came to Saudi Arabia on a 3-day "look see" visit before accepting the job offer from my current employer. ; Pornography – Saudi Arabia has strict laws against any kind of pornographic content, which can even include illustrations. WORLDWIDE TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS. A pack of beer that costs 10 euros in Europe can cost upwards of 200 euros in Saudi Arabia! But Saudi customs' embrace of social media may reflect the burgeoning and often vibrant social media audience within the country. They sell it under the table. They don't just come for the alcohol. As a result, I've never been thoroughly searched. Tweet posted by Saudi customs. Just a couple of months ago, a Saudi man … So don’t expect any bacon or sausages on your travels in hotels and restaurants. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Alcohol was found by customs officials at Al Batha border crossing point They can make millions. If foreigners sneak pork in the province however, you could get into severe trouble with the authorities. France 24 is not responsible for the content of external websites. And even if you have one or two contacts, it's still a risky venture. Issued on: 05/02/2016 - 17:16Modified: 05/02/2016 - 18:07. You only find it in certain private areas. CAN-ouflage: Smuggler caught trying to sneak 48,000 cans of beer into Saudi Arabia by disguising them as PEPSI. Other recent images show a wide variety of other attempts to hide alcohol, including hiding the alcohol in underpants... ... inside industrial looking containers ... Read our full mailing list consent terms here, (The video below shows that last one in action.). Customs officers at the Al Batha border crossing with the UAE discovered the contraband disguised as soda, according to MBC.net. The year 2019 began badly for three expats in Saudi Arabia. A man who tried to sneak bottles of alcohol into Saudi Arabia. The King Fahd Causeway (a highway across Gulf waters to Bahrain) is an hour drive for people interested in nightclubbing (alcohol and dance clubs are illegal in Arabia, but not in Bahrain). They prefer to live in a country that shuns alcohol, opting instead to visit Bahrain or other countries to drink beyond the bounds of reason. This Optimistic Man Tried To Sneak 14 Bottles Of Liquor Into Saudi Arabia In His Underwear ... while on his way back from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. However, alcohol is reportedly trafficked into Saudi Arabia on a larger scale from the United Arab Emirates. This isn't the first time smugglers have gone to inventive measures to get alcohol into Saudi Arabia. Yet despite the baffling array of outlandish methods used, most attempts are thwarted by custom officers. Customs officials in Saudi Arabia seized 48,000 cans of Heineken beer yesterday (Nov. 12), after a smuggler tried sneak the contraband into the country, where alcohol is … The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore. Prostitution is everywhere in Bahrain, evidence of which can be seen by going into any one of those bars. If they got caught, they didn't necessarily risk being put in prison. Many of them come from Riyadh, having journeyed more than 400 km to give free rein to indulgences that are banned in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has good control over its borders due to which it is near to impossible to smuggle any alcoholic drink from the neighboring countries. (Photo courtesy: MBC) Staff writer, Al Arabiya News Thursday 12 November 2015 Saudi Arabia is among the countries listed on their website under the "countries in which we operate" tab. It wouldn't have even crossed my mind to invite a friend, or even worse, an acquaintance. They can also go to Dubai, but that's more of a family destination. Alcohol – It is a crime to bring alcohol into the country, as well as to arrive in Saudi Arabia intoxicated, so think twice about drinking on the plane. January 28, 2016 18:40. The tweet at the top of this article, for example, shows one of the many attempts to smuggle alcohol hidden in a vehicle. You also have to know when and where to go, too. Since you mention … However, I know that it's easy to find some in immigrant neighbourhoods. In Saudi Arabia, one way to get booze is through the diplomats who work for foreign embassies. You need good contacts to stand a chance. The issue of drinking alcohol in Saudi Arabia has come sharply into focus once again after a British man was caught with homemade wine. Alcohol of … For a little over a year, Saudi Arabia's custom officials have been sharing some of the failed attempts to smuggle alcohol into the country on social media. Customs can be lenient when it comes to one or two bottles meant for personal use. The Saudi customs Twitter account has a not-too-shabby 136,000 followers. They import huge quantities of alcohol for so-called personal consumption, and then resell whatever they don't drink at an exorbitant price. You'd need at least 500 euros to spend some 'time' with one of them. Saudi Arabia imposes extreme penalties for the import, manufacture, possession, and u… When I lived in Saudi Arabia, I had the number of a 'dealer'. When searched he was found with 12 bottles of alcohol stitched into his trousers. Two Egyptians and a Pakistani were executed on New Year’s Day. The Observers - The France 24 Observers is both a website and a TV show focusing on international news through the lens of amateur images. Lussory's 24-karat gold suffused sparkling beverage made its debut in Dubai in 2014 and grabbed the attention of international media at the time. Once the SFDA has approved the product for entry into Saudi Arabia then a copy of this will be required to be attached to each individual import shipment. The weird ways people keep trying to sneak alcohol into Saudi Arabia. The former for smuggling cannabis, illegal opiates, and amphetamines, and the latter for trafficking heroin. Despite this, there are a fair few people within the country who like to drink alcohol – and there are smugglers willing to come up with elaborate methods of getting the alcohol into the country. A bottle of wine can cost more than 200 euros. A badly-hidden bottle seized by Saudi customs at the border. Beer cans disguised as Pepsi cans. You're better off knowing people that work in customs to get alcohol into Saudi Arabia. The Causeway serves as one of the easier ways to sneak into Arabia. Audience ratings certified by ACPM/OJD. Of course, you can't find alcohol in public areas in Saudi Arabia. ... bottles of alcohol … Fans Try To Sneak Into Jaden Smiths Performance At the G Star Raw Store 23rd Oct 2018 • 4K 00:17 BBQ at Newham: LATIN American Carnival , London, UK 5th Aug 2017 • 1080p Customs officials have also shared images of prohibited drugs like “captagon” hidden in tires ... ... and what are referred to as “bird accessories.”. Saudi Arabia allows the import of both cats and dogs, but does not allow the import of parrots/birds or rabbits. I never took the risk. Many Saudis head to Bahrain during the weekend to get drunk. ​Smugglers aren't restricting their trade to alcohol, either. Our Saudi Observer tells us how he managed to get his hands on such a rare - and illegal - commodity. KSA known to be food heaven and all citizens of Saudi Arabia enjoy the variety available in the country. Other Arab countries include the UAE, Morocco, and Tunisia. On the very first day here two British soon-to-be colleagues took me to a pub at lunchtime for a pint of beer. Getting drunk on the flight over, or bringing in alcohol, could land you in serious trouble. Much as Bahrain is a prime destination for alcohol smugglers, Abdulaziz stresses that most of the booze is smuggled into Saudi Arabia from UAE, particularly through Al-Batha border crossing. Every time I go to Bahrain, I take care not to drink too much the night before. But you have to watch out for tainted alcohol! Recent images show a wide variety of other attempts to hide alcohol, including hiding the alcohol in underpants. In Bahrain, there are entire streets for Saudis to get drunk in bars. {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}, The weird ways people keep trying to sneak alcohol into Saudi Arabia, Read more Saudi Arabia 'funding Islamic extremism in the West'. Strangely, the Saudis who I know and who - like me - drink booze, very rarely speak out against the laws banning the sale and consumption of alcohol in the kingdom. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a level 4 Travel Health Notice for Saudi Arabia due to COVID … Reconsider Travel to Saudi Arabia due to COVID-19.Exercise increased caution in Saudi Arabia due to terrorism and the threat of missile and drone attacks on civilian targets.. Read the Department of State’s COVID-19 page before you plan any international travel.. For further information on the process to get samples into Saudi Arabia … Arak is sold in a plastic bottle, for example. International Travel. Use of intoxicants, be it in any form, is prohibited in Islam. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? I would ring him hoping that he had some alcohol in stock, but sometimes I had to wait several days. SFDA approval should be obtained by the consignee prior to shipping to Saudi Arabia. Domestic flights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia resumed on Sunday 31 May 2020. Saudi Arabia's legal system isn't known for its openness – in fact, many consider it inscrutable if not worse. In fact, if someone is found smuggling alcoholic drinks in Saudi Arabia, he is punished seriously. This isn't the first time smugglers have gone to inventive measures to get alcohol into Saudi Arabia. Drink . The Twitter account of Saudi customs showcases the lengths to which would-be booze smugglers go to in their efforts to bring alcohol into the country. I never bought any locally-made alcohol myself. They get rich, that's for sure, but not as much as the smugglers who illegally import alcohol. As I pointed out in my first post it's something totally normal to bring alcohol into UAE as the law is not enforced and they'd have to put at least 80% of all arriving foreigners to trial. However, not everyone gets caught. 7 Famous Drinks in Saudi Arabia. Thanks to the country's austere interpretation of Islamic law, alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia.