Saudi Arabia To Open Its First Alcohol Store In Coming Weeks: Report

Saudi Arabia is geared up to start its first alcohol store in the capital city—Riyadh.

The alcohol store in Riyadh will serve exclusively non-Muslim diplomats, Reuters reported. The customers need a mandatory clearance code from the country’s foreign ministry, which they will get after registering through a mobile application. 

However, there is also going to be a cap on monthly alcohol purchases for the customers from the store.

Opening of an alcohol store in the country is significant considering drinking liquor is forbidden in Islam.

The report termed it as a milestone in the kingdom's efforts, led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to open the ultra-conservative Muslim country for tourism and business. It also linked opening of the store to wider plans of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 to build a post-oil economy.

The new store is located in Riyadh's Diplomatic Quarter. It is a neighbourhood where embassies and diplomats reside. 

“It was unclear if other non-Muslim expatriates will have access to the store. Millions of expatriates live in Saudi Arabia but most of them are Muslim workers from Asia and Egypt,” the report mentioned.

The report stated the store is expected to open in the coming weeks.

Saudi Arabia has strict laws against drinking alcohol, which can be punishable by hundreds of lashes, deportation, fines, or imprisonment and expatriates also face deportation. 

As part of the reforms, whipping has largely been replaced by jail sentences.

Alcohol has been available only through diplomatic mail or on the black market.

State-controlled media reported this week that the government was imposing new restrictions on alcohol imports within the diplomatic consignments, which may boost demand for the new store.

The new regulation will curb imports to counter "improper exchange of special goods and alcoholic beverages received by the embassies of non-Muslim countries inside Saudi Arabia", Arab News daily reported on Sunday.