In Samarkand, a travel agency employee was detained while receiving money for organizing an illegal Umrah

In Samarkand, a travel agency employee was detained while receiving money for organizing an illegal Umrah

In Samarkand Region, another attempt to illegally organize a pilgrimage trip to Saudi Arabia was thwarted. An employee of a travel company was detained at the moment he was receiving $5,000 from a local resident, whom he had promised to send four relatives to perform Umrah.

According to the investigation, an employee of a travel agency operating in Samarkand District promised a resident of Samarkand to organize a trip for his four relatives to Saudi Arabia to perform the minor pilgrimage.

For his services, the man received $5,000. However, during the money transfer, he was detained by officers of the State Security Service and the Regional Department of Internal Affairs.

An investigation established that the company where the detainee worked did not possess a license to organize pilgrimages. An investigation is currently underway.

Law enforcement officials remind the public: when choosing organizers for trips to Saudi Arabia, it is necessary to check whether the travel agency holds a valid license.

Earlier, similar schemes of illegal Umrah organization were uncovered in Andijan and Fergana regions. Citizens were charged thousands of dollars for these services.