“There was a crowd on the Saudi side from midnight until this morning. There were no problems on the Iraqi side. About 50 buses were held up for a while,” Karwan Stuni, spokesperson for the Kurdistan Region’s Hajj and Umrah department, told Rudaw.
“The Iraqi Hajj Authority informed us that the reason was the presence of contraband in one of the vehicles. According to our information, it was an Iraqi bus, not a Kurdistan Region bus,” he added.
The travellers were performing Umrah, a non-compulsory pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims can do any time of the year.
“Around 7am this morning the pilgrims left the border, heading towards Saudi Arabia, after they were held at the border for 18 hours,” said Stuni.
He reassured travellers that there are no problems at the border, but to expect delays. “We assure those who are on their way or want to go to Saudi Arabia for Umrah that there are no problems and that crossing has been slowed only due to inspection.”
Saudi officials seized drugs and alcohol while inspecting some of the buses, Dler Barzenji, deputy director of Kirkuk’s Hajj and Umrah commission, told Rudaw on Saturday.
He said that bus drivers have been caught previously attempting to smuggle drugs and alcohol into Saudi Arabia.
According to Saudi news outlets, authorities discovered Captagon pills while searching the buses and the government has started thorough inspections of all vehicles coming from Iraq, beginning Saturday.
“Saudi authorities at the new Arar port have taken strict and intensified measures to inspect buses, which has led to congestion and delays for some pilgrims at the port,” the Iraqi High Commission of Hajj and Umrah said in a statement.
The commission explained that some transportation companies have tried to smuggle contraband into Saudi Arabia, despite repeated warnings.
“Punitive measures will be taken in accordance with the law, including revoking the licenses of Umrah and transportation companies against anyone who dares to violate the laws and regulations in Iraq and Saudi Arabia, attempts to smuggle prohibited items, and causes harm to honorable pilgrims,” said the commission.
Air travel to Saudi Arabia from Iraq has not faced similar delays.