Saudi authorities have arrested nine Yemeni and Sudanese residents accused of operating a financial fraud network linked to a criminal group outside the kingdom, Saudi Public Security said.
The Riyadh Police Criminal Investigation and Search Department dismantled the alleged network and detained its members after investigators found they were using victims’ personal and financial data to purchase gold bars and mobile phones through online stores, according to a statement published by Saudi Public Security on X.
Authorities said the suspects would then sell or ship the purchased goods before transferring the proceeds abroad through illegal channels.
Police seized 30 mobile phones, an iPad, 35 bank cards, 25,965 Saudi riyals in cash and a quantity of gold bars during the operation, the statement said.
Saudi Public Security said financial transfers linked to the alleged scheme exceeded 200,000 riyals, equivalent to about $53,300.
The authorities did not provide a breakdown of how many of those arrested were Yemeni and how many were Sudanese, nor did they identify the criminal group abroad that the suspects were allegedly connected to.
Saudi Public Security said the nine suspects had been detained, legal procedures had been initiated against them and the case had been referred to the Public Prosecution.
The case was reported by local Sudanese media, citing the Saudi security statement and CNN Arabic.
