Article 126 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 126 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الأول: التحري عن التهريب
Smuggling may be investigated and goods seized across the state in the land and maritime zones, customs offices, ports and airports, and outside the zones in continuous pursuit.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز إجراء التحري عن التهريب وحجز البضائع وتحقيق المخالفات الجمركية بشأن جميع البضائع على امتداد أراضي الدولة في الحالات التالية:
1 - في النطاقين الجمركيين البري والبحري .
2 - في الدوائر الجمركية وفي الموانئ والمطارات وفي جميع الأماكن الخاضعة للرقابة الجمركية .
3 - خارج النطاقين الجمركيين البري والبحري عند متابعة البضائع المهربة ومطاردتها مطاردة متواصلة من قبل المسؤولين عن ذلك بعد أن شوهدت ضمن النطاق في وضع يستدل منه على قصد تهريبها .
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 126 explained in plain English
This article sets out the places and cases in which investigating smuggling, seizing goods and investigating customs violations is permitted, concerning all goods across the state's territory.
The three cases:
- In the land and maritime customs zones. According to the definitions, the maritime zone is the sea between the shores and the end of territorial waters, and the land zone is the land between the shores or borders and an inner line determined by the Minister or the competent authority.
- In customs offices, ports and airports, and in all places under customs control.
- Outside the customs zones, under cumulative conditions:
- It occurs when following and pursuing smuggled goods in continuous pursuit.
- By those responsible for that.
- After the goods have been seen within the zone in a position from which an intent to smuggle them may be inferred.
The third case is exceptional: it does not permit investigation outside the zone from the outset, but requires that the following begin inside the zone and continue without interruption. If the pursuit is broken, the condition of "continuous pursuit" in the text is not met.
Article 125 allows the Administration to take appropriate measures to investigate inside and outside the customs office under rules set by the Minister or the competent authority. Article 127 gives employees the right to inspect documents and records relating to customs operations and to seize them where there is a violation. Anyone whose goods were seized would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal and customs cases.
Practical example
A customs patrol saw a truck inside the land zone in a position indicating the smuggling of goods, and pursued it without interruption until it entered a city outside the zone. The employees may seize the goods and investigate the violation there because the pursuit is continuous and began inside the zone.
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 126 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
May customs seize smuggled goods outside the crossings?
Yes, in the land and maritime zones, in ports, airports and places under control, and outside the zones in continuous pursuit.
What is the condition for pursuing a smuggler outside the customs zone?
The goods must have been seen within the zone in a position from which an intent to smuggle them may be inferred, and be pursued in continuous pursuit by those responsible.
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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 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 .
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.