Saudi Arabia cracks case of smuggled beer disguised as Pepsi

E-Paper | April 30, 2026

RIYADH: Customs officials in Saudi Arabia say they've cracked a case — and then some — of smugglers trying to bring illicit cans of beer through the kingdom by disguising them as Pepsi.

In a statement, customs officials say they intercepted 48,000 cans of beer moving through the al-Batha border crossing with the United Arab Emirates.

In video posted Wednesday on Twitter, the customs officials show an officer using a box cutter to open a wrapped 24-pack of the fake Pepsi only to find the green-and-white Heineken cans beneath it.

Drinking or possessing alcohol is a criminal offense in the ultra-conservative Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Also Read: Saudi prince arrested on sex crime charge at Los Angeles mansion

Our readers are at the heart of everything we do.
Do you have a thought to share or a way we can improve? We’d love to hear it. Reach out to us at feedback@dawn.com.

World

2 Jewish men stabbed in 'terrorist' attack in London

Bangladesh measles outbreak kills over 220 children since March

'You'd be speaking French': King Charles roasts Trump at state dinner

harmony-1

Nov 13, 2015 04:28pm

Funny , cant stop laughing.

Recommend 0

M. Emad

Nov 13, 2015 04:30pm

Huge demands of alcohol in Saudi Arabia . . .

Recommend 0

Don'tPlayLeapfrogWithUnicorns

Nov 13, 2015 04:35pm

Nice try. Full marks for creativity. Poor quality wrapper gave it away.

Recommend 0

Syed Ganga Din

Nov 13, 2015 04:51pm

Very innovative. I have to give them credit for this.

Recommend 0

Ammar

Nov 13, 2015 05:05pm

well its funny

Recommend 0

Abdulla Hussain

Nov 13, 2015 05:17pm

Excellent work by customs, severe most punishment should be given to the offender. Pepsi should also take legal action where this illegal disguising work was going on. People will loose confidence in Pepsi & would be skeptical with other such drinks. I for one have to grow nail to scratch the next Pepsi can before drinking it.

Recommend 0

Niaz ali Khattk

Nov 13, 2015 05:19pm

Saudi Love it, high demand, what happen a Prince caught at Lebnon airport with 25 suite cases and 15 tons of drug, any update on that ?

Recommend 0

harmony-1

Nov 13, 2015 05:19pm

To avoid such situation again , authorities should sample every pepsi /cola can than comes to KSA.

Recommend 0

Sodomite

Nov 13, 2015 05:32pm

Prohibition has never worked anywhere and has not worked in SA. I went to many parties in Riyadh and Jeddah where alcohol flowed by the barrel.

Recommend 0

ROHIT PANDEY

Nov 13, 2015 05:36pm

Wonder how much $$$ the smuggler can make out of a Heineken beer can?:):) The Pepsi logo does not look genuine?

Recommend 0

Yasmin

Nov 13, 2015 05:40pm

I have seen empty Jonny walker cases outside shops

Recommend 0

Yasmin

Nov 13, 2015 05:43pm

Why would you need to smuggle alcohol in Saudi Arabia it is freely available in Bahrain

Recommend 0

timetostopthis

Nov 13, 2015 05:43pm

Lots of people drink in that country. There is a huge demand and therefore there is supply too.

Recommend 0

Murtaza

Nov 13, 2015 06:08pm

The shaikh who ordered this would be furious !

Recommend 0

Bilal

Nov 13, 2015 06:22pm

This is a Coke's conspiracy to damage Pepsi's brandname and credibility !

Recommend 0

Dairy farmer

Nov 13, 2015 06:30pm

Meanwhile the Financial Times carries a report on how the Arabs invented the distillation process for alcohol. Prohibition only leads to criminality and excess consumption. Legalize, regulate and tax is the only formula that will work in the long run - for them and for us.

Recommend 0

Martini

Nov 13, 2015 06:48pm

They should now also look for the consumers of narcotics within the country who have equally been contributing towards the beheading of carriers only.

Recommend 0

Noshin

Nov 13, 2015 06:51pm

smart work

Recommend 0

WaheGuru

Nov 13, 2015 06:55pm

Maybe if Saudis could drink without fear of getting decapitated, they would not go to other countries and drink heavily

Recommend 0

Ahmed

Nov 13, 2015 07:18pm

One has to be stupid to smuggle beer in a Pepsi can. It raises suspicions, why would anyone bring Pepsi from another country when Pepsi is already available in abundance.

Recommend 0

Sami

Nov 13, 2015 07:25pm

Saudi princes go to other countries for enjoyment but they keep their house clean

Recommend 0

Haseena302

Nov 13, 2015 07:41pm

Where there is demand, there will be a supply

Recommend 0

Alien

Nov 13, 2015 07:51pm

KSA should BAN Pepsi cans throughout the kingdom of saudi Arabia..........

Recommend 0

Dabangg

Nov 13, 2015 07:56pm

@Abdulla Hussain Dont go overboard. There is a big difference between Pepsi and beer. Anyone can figure it out just by looking or smelling it.

Recommend 0

Dabangg

Nov 13, 2015 07:57pm

A bridge connecting Bahrain and KSA was built so that Saudis can consume what they want overseas.

Recommend 0

Sajid

Nov 13, 2015 08:03pm

@Niaz ali Khattk obviously. No action taken. Case filed. A Prince's action cannot be a crime ! Fair Saudi Justice !

Recommend 0

Justice

Nov 13, 2015 08:05pm

Most of Saudi people, & royal families drink alchol whenever they travel outside of Saudi Arabia and they have become addticted, this should not be surprise news to them.

Recommend 0

dawn

Nov 13, 2015 08:10pm

Have they confiscated in possession of the royals as well?

Recommend 0

M. Siddique

Nov 13, 2015 08:17pm

Saudis need to reduce the demand. Hypocritical.

Recommend 0

Suleman Sahabuddin

Nov 13, 2015 08:30pm

@harmony-1 Easy way make alcohol official in Saudi Arabia

Recommend 0

Gul

Nov 13, 2015 08:36pm

What's new. The so called Royals gets all types of wine thru diplomatic corps channel. Most embassies provide the princes with desired liquors.

Recommend 0

zeezoo

Nov 13, 2015 08:53pm

@Sodomite A briton aged 70 has been sentenced to 100 lashes for trying to prepare beer at home for his own consumption that is jeopardizing relation between the two countries but the saudis arent letting this briton go away.

Recommend 0

Rashi

Nov 13, 2015 09:14pm

some non-Saudi non-white will be executed

Recommend 0

Parvez

Nov 13, 2015 10:54pm

Its a supply demand situation......did they taste the stuff inside the cans ?....possibly it was Pepsi.

Recommend 0

Nov 13, 2015 11:40pm

these brilliant saudis can do anything. the whole world sends their investigation depatments to learn from them

Recommend 0

DudeFromDC

Nov 14, 2015 12:19am

Why is it banned? What if non-muslims want to drink?

Recommend 0

Cyrus

Nov 14, 2015 05:55am

The thing about beer is that one can smell stale beer in an empty can.

Recommend 0

Lost cause

Nov 14, 2015 07:30am

Poor Saudis.

Recommend 0

Khan

Nov 14, 2015 07:40am

Why is Saudi ultra conservative. That is a matter of opinion

Recommend 0

Agha Ata

Nov 14, 2015 08:12am

Are they going to throw away all that beer? What a waste!

Recommend 0

Jawad

Nov 14, 2015 09:02am

Oh well. Now the beer rate will go up in the kingdom.

Recommend 0

Sudhir Neyalasinger

Nov 14, 2015 09:58am

This is hilarious. I want to know what they did with the confiscated beer.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

Taptap Send, Arshad Nadeem partner to highlight Pakistan’s unsung champions

The initiative comes at a time when cricket continues to dominate national attention, often overshadowing achievements in other sports.

NexGen Auto (Nishat Group) to Introduce iCAUR in Pakistan

As one of Pakistan’s leading business groups, Nishat Group operates across key sectors including textiles, cement, banking, insurance, power and agriculture.