Article 128 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
المادة 128 من نظام قانون الجمارك الموحد لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية · الفصل الأول: التحري عن التهريب
Customs employees may detain anyone they suspect of committing, attempting or being connected with smuggling, or transporting or possessing smuggled goods.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز لموظفي الإدارة التحفظ على أي شخص إذا كان لديهم اشتباه بأنه ارتكب أو حاول ارتكاب جريمة أو كان ذا علاقة بارتكاب جريمة من الجرائم التالية:
1 - التهريب.
2 - نقل بضائع مهربة أو حيازتها.
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 128 explained in plain English
This article gives customs employees the power to detain persons in specified offenses.
Condition for detention: the Administration's employees must have suspicion that the person:
- committed an offense, or
- attempted to commit it, or
- was connected with its commission.
The specified offenses:
- Smuggling.
- Transporting or possessing smuggled goods.
Notes:
- The power is discretionary ("may").
- It is limited to the offenses mentioned, so according to the text it does not extend to others.
- The article does not specify the period of detention, its procedures, or the body to which the person is handed over; these are matters the text does not address and for which other laws are consulted.
Note that the text covers transporting or possessing smuggled goods, so it is not limited to the one who carried out the smuggling himself. Article 127 gives employees the right to inspect documents relating to customs operations and to seize them where there is a violation. Article 129 requires drawing up a seizure report for violations and smuggling offenses in accordance with the procedures set in the law. Anyone detained would do well to consult a lawyer specializing in criminal cases immediately.
Practical example
Customs employees stopped a car in a border area and found quantities of cigarettes in it suspected of being smuggled. They may detain the driver on suspicion of transporting or possessing smuggled goods.
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 128 of the Saudi GCC Unified Customs Law
Is customs entitled to detain a person?
Customs employees may detain anyone they suspect of committing or attempting smuggling or of transporting or possessing smuggled goods, or of being connected with that.
Does possessing smuggled goods justify detention?
Yes. Transporting or possessing smuggled goods is among the offenses for which a person may be detained on suspicion.
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 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.

