Police arrested a man on charges of sorcery and exploitation. Madinah Police spokesman Col. Fahd Al-Ghannam said they received complaints about the man from an African nationality who allegedly exploited many people and amassed a fortune worth around SR1.7 billion. According to the complaints, the man tricked many people into investing in his fake gold mining business and agricultural and commercial projects in Africa. He would present himself as a sorcerer who had the power to guarantee success. Officers tracked down the man and found that he was 59 years old, lived an itinerant lifestyle and had several lawsuits already filed against him. Police found several fake business contracts and documentations at his home that he used to convince potential victims. Police also found fake potions, herbs and ropes he used to trick people into believing that he was a sorcerer. Police also learned that the man had an accomplice, a 45-year-old African, who would carefully choose the targets and bring them to the swindler. Jail, 400 lashes for misdemeanor UNAIZAH — A general court in Qassim province sentenced 27 men to 400 lashes and 10 months in prison for public misdemeanor offenses. Unaizah police arrested the 27 men as they gathered in a deserted area known as Al-Qaa, east of the governorate. Police received information that some men routinely gather during weekends in deserted areas to party, and often carry out unethical acts. In some instances, videos of the gathering were posted on social media. This resulted in a raid and the subsequent arrests of 27 men. Police forwarded their case to the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, which produced them in court. Following their sentence, the men filed an appeal, which is currently under way. Pilgrims caught smuggling drug pills [caption id="attachment_38970" align="aligncenter" width="400"] One of the six pilgrims who were caught smuggling amphetamine pills into the Kingdom by customs officers in Tabuk. — Okaz photo[/caption] TABUK — Customs officers in Tabuk seized 112,000 amphetamine pills from six pilgrims traveling to Makkah in a bus. Tabuk Custom Control spokesman Bandar Al-Rihaili said the officers were inspecting the bus full of pilgrims when they found a total of 112,000 amphetamine pills hidden in the clothes of six pilgrims. They included three men and three women, who were members of the same family. — Okaz/Saudi Gazette
