Driver Fined 3,800 Riyals for Trying to Smuggle 380 Litres of Zamzam Water
A driver has been fined 3,800 Saudi riyals for attempting to smuggle 380 litres of Zamzam water illegally out of Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway. The information came from a Saudi lawyer.
In a case brought by the Eastern Province public prosecution, customs officers found the water hidden inside the trunk of the car during an inspection at a border checkpoint.
The Riyadh Primary Customs Committee found the driver guilty of customs smuggling, ordered the seized Zamzam water confiscated, and imposed a fine of 3,800 riyals, equal to the value of the water.
The committee, however, rejected the prosecution's request for a prison sentence because the driver had no previous criminal record, noting that the fine and confiscation were sufficient punishment.
The authorised representative of the accused was present at the hearing held on 2 December 2025. The verdict was delivered under Articles 142, 144 and 145 of the unified customs law of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, which defines the unlawful movement of goods as smuggling.
The Zamzam well, located 21 metres east of the Kaaba in Mecca, is 30 metres deep and thousands of years old.
