Jakarta –
Saudi Arabia has finally allowed the opening of its first alcohol shop in Riyadh, which is known to be frequented by non-Muslim diplomats. There is a reason this decision was taken, what is it?
Alcohol has been banned in Saudi Arabia since 1952. This is because a Saudi prince reportedly killed a British diplomat because he was drunk and angry. Alcohol is also prohibited in Islam and the majority of Saudi Arabians are very religious.
However, this situation has not stopped the influx of alcohol into this very conservative country. Alcohol is still popular in Saudi Arabia, but behind locked doors and on the black market.
Many foreign embassies can import alcohol by establishing special agreements with the government, while some smuggle alcohol through ‘diplomatic bags’ that cannot be checked.
From there, according to a number of expats and local residents, alcohol is sold on the black market at huge price differences.
“Everyone knows which embassies sell liquor. Some of them have even made a side business out of it, selling it on the black market at four, five, even ten times the normal price. This is getting ridiculous. The government has to do something, ” said an anonymous investor who works in Saudi Arabia, quoted from CNBC, Saturday (27/1/2024).
A one-liter bottle of vodka, for example, usually costs between US$ 500 or Rp. 7,887,500 (exchange rate Rp. 15,775) and US$ 600 or Rp. 9,465,000 on the black market. One bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label costs between US$ 1,000 or Rp. 15,775,000 and US$ 2,000 or Rp. 31,550,000.
On the other hand, household-scale liquor making has also been carried out in the kingdom for decades, according to expatriates who have previously lived there.
The alcohol purchasing system in Saudi Arabia now uses an application called Diplo and must be approved by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Purchases are also limited by quotas with a monthly recording system.
According to a number of sources, this system was introduced to tackle alcohol smuggling which has been occurring so far.
“The government knows that a lot of alcohol moves from the amount allowed in the embassy to the black market. Now this application is implemented where they will get the allocated amount with monitoring from a centralized place,” explained a businessman from Khobar Province.
This information was confirmed by the Government of Saudi Arabia through a written statement. The alcohol quota regulations for diplomatic missions were put in place to “combat the illicit trade in alcoholic goods,” wrote Saudi Arabia’s Center for International Communications.
However, the Saudi Foreign Ministry and CIC have not responded to requests for comment.
(fdl/fdl)
2024-01-27 14:15:17
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