Article 118 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 118 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الباب الحادي عشر: حقوق موظفي الإدارة وواجباتهم
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يسمح بحمل السلاح لموظفي الجمارك الذين تتطلب طبيعة عملهم ذلك ، ويحدد هؤلاء الموظفون بقرار من الوزير أو الجهة المختصة .
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 118 explained in plain English
This article regulates carrying weapons by customs employees.
Elements of the rule:
- Those covered: customs employees whose nature of work requires it, so not every customs employee carries a weapon.
- The rule: they are permitted to carry weapons.
- Designation: these employees are designated by decision of the Minister or the competent authority.
What this means: carrying weapons is linked to the nature of the work, such as anti-smuggling work and patrols, and not to customs employment in general. The employee does not decide for himself that he needs a weapon; a decision of the Minister or the competent authority designates those covered.
The article does not state the type of weapon or the conditions for its use, which are matters the text does not address and which may be governed by other laws.
This rule is connected to Article 117, which obliges civil and military authorities and the security forces to assist customs employees as soon as they ask. Article 119 obliges every employee whose service ends for any reason to return what is in his custody to the Administration. The article addresses official bodies and employees; anyone who needs to know the limits of an armed employee's powers in a particular incident would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases.
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 118 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
Do customs employees carry weapons?
Customs employees whose nature of work requires it are permitted to carry weapons.
Who designates the armed customs employees?
They are designated by decision of the Minister or the competent authority.
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 117
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.
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
- 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.