Polda Metro Unloads Umrah Travel Fraud: 64 9 Days Of Congregants In Saudi Arabia

Illustration of pilgrims (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Polda Metro Jaya uncovered a case of Umrah travel fraud that caused hundreds of people to become victims. In fact, dozens of them could not return to Indonesia from Saudi Arabia.

"The number of victims so far is from the data that we have obtained, there are around hundreds of people," said Director of General Criminal Investigation of the Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Hengki Haryadi in his statement, Tuesday, March 28.

It was recorded that 64 pilgrims had been neglected in Saudi Arabia. In fact, 16 of them were abandoned for 9 days.

The disclosure of the case began with a report from the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) about the existence of Umrah pilgrims who could not return to their homeland.

"So this victim complained to the Consul General in Saudi Arabia, the complaint was then submitted to the Ministry of Religion and finally arrived at us," he said.

The report was immediately followed up. As a result, two owners of the travel of PT Naila Safaah Wisata Mandiri (NSWM), namely husband and wife Mahfudz Abdulah alias Abi (52) and Halijah Amin alias Bunda (48).

"The perpetrator was arrested on February 27, 2023," he said.

In addition, another person who was also named a suspect was Hermansyah (59). He is the President Director of PT NSWM.

The three suspects are subject to Article 126 Juncto Article 119 A of Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of Hajj and Umrah as amended in Article 126 of Law Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation.

"The maximum penalty is 10 years," said Hengki.