Thousands illegals arrested in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s authorities have arrested 19,710 persons residing or trying to enter the Kingdom illegally in different inspection raids in all regions of the country during the first week of May, a state-run news agency reported citing the Ministry of Interior.

According to data released by the Ministry of Interior, 12,961 persons were arrested for violating the Residency Law and 4,177 for violating the Border Security Law. During the first week of May, a total 2,572 violators of the Labor Law have also been arrested.

Between May 2 and May 8, security forces and relevant government agencies conducted combined field security activities that resulted in the arrest of the illegal occupants.

The data showed that 979 persons in all were detained while attempting to enter Saudi Arabia from outside the country. Out of them, 41 percent are citizens of Yemen, 54 percent belonging to Ethiopia while the remaining three percent are from different countries.

The Ministry of Interior maintained that 12 persons were detained for their roles in providing sanctuary to undocumented immigrants as well as in the transportation, harboring, and hiring of those who violated laws pertaining to employment, residency, and border security.

A total 49,407 expatriates, comprising 46,342 males and 3,065 women, are presently undergoing various stages of legal proceedings for the violations.

The ministry said that 40,391 persons have been sent to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 13,383 violators were deported from the Kingdom.

The Ministry of Interior warned that those who assist the entry of illegal residents in violation of the Border Security Law into Saudi Arabia, or who provide them with any kind of transportation, housing, or other assistance, will face penalties of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to SR1 million, and the confiscation of their vehicles and housing.

They will also face the publicising of their names in the local media at their own expense.

The ministry urged the public to report any cases of violation by calling the number 911 in the regions of Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province and the numbers 999 and 996 in the rest of the regions across the Kingdom.