PPIH Embarkation Surabaya Confiscates A Number Of Belongings Of Prospective Hajj Pilgrims, Some Bring Rice To Cigarettes

Officers carry out baggage processing for the luggage of prospective Hajj pilgrims at the Surabaya Hajj Embarkation Dormitory. ANTARA/Hanif Nasrullah.

SURABAYA - The Surabaya Embarkation Hajj Organizing Committee (PPIH) confiscated a number of items carried by prospective Hajj pilgrims because they were not allowed according to international flight rules.

Head of PPIH Embarkation Surabaya Husnul Maram ensured that the luggage that was not allowed on international flights had actually been socialized to prospective pilgrims.

"However, until the third day of departure, there were still pilgrims carrying items that were not allowed," he told reporters in Surabaya as reported by Antara, Monday, June 6.

Starting from the departure of the flight group (kloter) 1 to 3, at most the Surabaya Embarkation PPIH confiscates the charger or power bank brought by the prospective pilgrims.

He explained that there were 11 suitcases belonging to the members of the group 1 congregation that were detected by X-rays because they were carrying prohibited items. "Among them were found as many as 10 power banks," he said.

The Head of the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religion of East Java said that one of the suitcases belonging to the pilgrim candidate from group 1 which was secured was found to contain five liters of rice.

"Bringing a power bank is prohibited on international flights because it is classified as explosive. We also urge pilgrims not to bring rice because while they are in the Holy Land, their food is guaranteed," he said.

When inspecting the luggage of the pilgrim pilgrims for batch 3, on Sunday (5/6), PPIH Embarkation Surabaya again found a suitcase containing a power bank.

"Then the congregants of Group 3, at most we confiscated cigarettes. There were as many as 10 packs of cigarettes that were secured," said Husnul Maram.

He explained that as many as 10 packs of cigarettes had to be unloaded from the suitcase because they exceeded the maximum limit allowed by international flight rules.

"The maximum limit allowed on international flights is only 200 cigarettes or 2 slops," he said.

Goods that are absolutely not allowed to enter Saudi Arabia, he said, one of which is drugs whose composition is not clear.

Meanwhile, medicines and multivitamins whose brands are registered with BPOM can still be entered as long as they are brought in reasonable quantities, which is limited to only two or three strips.

"If you bring more than 50 strips of medicine, are you going to worship or selling?" he said.

Based on data from the East Java Ministry of Religion for Surabaya Embarkation this year there were 16,967 pilgrims served and divided into 38 groups.

In detail, from East Java as many as 16,087 people, Bali Province 318 people, East Nusa Tenggara Province 291 people, Palembang 119 people, and 152 crew members.