Police arrest 1,317 illegal residents in a day from Muscat

Muscat: The Royal Oman Police (ROP) arrested 1,317 illegal residents of several foreign nationalities in an organised crackdown at dawn Wednesday, according to a press release from police.

"Some among the arrested had illegally entered the country while most are overstaying their visas or are absconders," a spokesperson for ROP said. He added that a special team made of officers from special task force as well as Criminal Investigation Department carried out the operation in Ruwi and Hamriya area, where most of the blue collar workers stay in old houses.

The spokesperson added that the police had prior information that a large group of intruders had entered the area. "As soon as the area was cordoned off most of them attempted to escape through by lanes but policed caught them.

"The police will carry out such operations time to time to flush out illegal residents as well as intruders, who mostly enter through the sea route," he added.

He appealed to all residents to report any illegal resident to police and stressed that such residents should not be given any support or assistance.