Article 117 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 117 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الباب الحادي عشر: حقوق موظفي الإدارة وواجباتهم
Civil and military authorities and the internal security forces must give customs employees every assistance as soon as they ask, and the Administration must cooperate with other official bodies.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على السلطات المدنية والعسكرية وقوى الأمن الداخلي أن تقدم لموظفي الإدارة كل مساعدة للقيام بعملهم بمجرد طلبهم ذلك ، كما يجب على الإدارة التعاون مع الجهات الرسمية الأخرى .
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 117 explained in plain English
This article sets mutual duties of cooperation between customs and other bodies.
First: the duty to assist customs employees
- Those obliged: civil and military authorities and the internal security forces.
- The content: giving every assistance to the Administration's employees to carry out their work.
- The timing: as soon as they ask, so according to the text no prior procedures are needed.
Second: the Administration's duty
The General Customs Administration must cooperate with other official bodies. The cooperation is therefore not in one direction only.
Practical importance: customs work, especially in combating smuggling, may need security or field support that customs alone does not have. For that reason the article obliged other bodies to respond to the request of customs employees. The article does not specify the forms of assistance, so it covers whatever is needed to do the work.
This is connected to Article 116, which makes the Administration's employees judicial police officers while working and within their jurisdiction. Article 118 permits customs employees whose nature of work requires it to carry weapons, by decision of the Minister or the competent authority. The article addresses official bodies mainly and does not create direct obligations on individuals.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 117 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
Is the police obliged to help customs employees?
Yes. Civil and military authorities and the internal security forces must give every assistance to the Administration's employees as soon as they ask.
Is customs obliged to cooperate with other bodies?
Yes. The Administration must cooperate with other official bodies.
More articles on Customs Officers and Combating Smuggling
- Article 55
The department may open packages where it suspects prohibited goods or a mismatch with the documents, in the absence of an owner who refuses to attend despite being notified, and where necessary before notifying him, through a committee formed by the Director General.
للدائرة الجمركية الحق في فتح الطرود لمعاينتها عند الاشتباه بوجود بضائع ممنوعة أو مخالفة لما هو وارد في الوثائق الجمركية في غياب مالك البضاعة، أو من يمثله، إذا ا
- Article 81
The customs department may inspect free zones and markets for goods prohibited from entering, and audit documents and examine goods when smuggling is suspected.
للدائرة الجمركية القيام بأعمال التفتيش في المناطق والأسواق الحرة عن البضائع الممنوع دخولها إليها ،كما يجوز لها تدقيق المستندات والكشف على البضائع لدى الاشتباه ب
- Article 116
Customs employees are judicial police officers while working, within their jurisdiction, and are given a card to show on request and wear an official uniform if their work requires it.
أ - يعد موظفو الإدارة أثناء قيامهم بأعمالهم من رجال الضبط القضائي ، وذلك في حدود اختصاصاتهم . ب - يعطى موظفو الإدارة عند تعيينهم بطاقة تثبت طبيعة عملهم ، وعليهم
- Article 118
Customs employees whose work requires it are permitted to carry weapons, and these employees are designated by decision of the Minister or the competent authority.
يسمح بحمل السلاح لموظفي الجمارك الذين تتطلب طبيعة عملهم ذلك ، ويحدد هؤلاء الموظفون بقرار من الوزير أو الجهة المختصة .
- Article 119
Every employee of the customs Administration whose service ends for any reason must return what is in his custody to the Administration.
على كل موظف من موظفي الإدارة تنتهي خدماته لأي سبب كان ، أن يعيد ما في عهدته إلى الإدارة .
- Article 120
Incentives and allowances for customs employees, according to the nature of their work, are set by decision of the Minister or the competent authority on the Director General's proposal, and apply once approved by the competent bodies.
يحدد بقرار من الوزير أو الجهة المختصة بناء على اقتراح من المدير العام الحوافز والبدلات التي تمنح لموظفي الجمارك حسب طبيعة عملهم ، ويُعمل بها بعد إقرارها من جهات
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.