Yassin Yahya Opens Up About 6-Month Detention In Saudi Arabia, Says It Was Over A Grinder
The 'Senario' actor says the grinder had a symbol considered prohibited in Saudi Arabia, triggering his arrest shortly after landing for Umrah.
Cover image via Malaysian comedian and actor Yassin Yahya has broken his silence after returning home from a six-month detention in Saudi Arabia
The Senario member has claimed that contrary to reports of a drug-related offence, he was arrested and detained in Jeddah over a grinder he bought at KLIA before his flight.
In a special episode of the Darkcast podcast with Saiful Apek, Yassin recounted the surreal ordeal that unfolded during his first-ever Umrah trip, which was sponsored for 25 artistes.
He explained that due to the sudden nature of the trip, his preparations were rushed.
Before boarding the eight-hour flight to Jeddah on 27 October 2023, he bought a pack of cigarettes, cigarette papers, and a grinder at the airport in Malaysia, intending to smoke during transit.
But upon arrival in Jeddah, things quickly took a turn.
"My bag was scanned before my domestic flight to Madinah. A customs officer spotted something and asked me to open it. He held up the grinder and immediately flagged it," Yassin said.
He offered to take a urine test and explained it was for tobacco, not drugs.
"The symbol on the grinder was considered prohibited in Saudi. I really didn't know. If I had done something wrong, I would've been arrested in Malaysia," he said, adding that he was detained on the spot.
Yassin was first held in a police lockup in Jeddah for 10 days, where conditions were rough. He described sleeping standing up because the floor was full, and eventually finding a space in front of a toilet door.
On 5 November 2024, he was moved to the Foreign Nationals Administration and Deportation Centre, where he finally managed to reach the Malaysian consulate and later had a brief phone call with his wife.
On 19 November 2024, he was sentenced to six months' detention via an online court hearing.
"I told my wife, it was my mistake to bring something with a prohibited symbol, maybe I overlooked it. This is a lesson, I want to say that if you go to someone's country, be careful.
"Don't bring items with prohibited symbols," he said.
Image via Berita Harian
Yassin returned to Malaysia with nothing but the clothes on his back, leaving all his belongings behind to avoid another month-long wait
He described his six-month detention as a "study period" that offered invaluable life experience.
"Alhamdulillah, this is not 'death and rebirth', but it is the next opportunity, and I have completed my studies at the university in Jeddah," he said with a small laugh, as reported by the New Straits Times.
His priority now is simple: to spend time with his mother, wife, and children, and leave the painful episode behind.
"Alhamdulillah. I just wanted to come home," he said.
