Muscat: Oman on Saturday deported 558 infiltrators by boat from Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, according to a Royal Oman Police (ROP) press release.
The statement released by the ROP said that the deportees were of Asian nationalities but the photographs released show most of the deportees of Pakistan origin.
“These intruders were arrested and tried in a court of law which ruled for their expulsion to their home country,” he said, adding that most of them had arrived through the sea route and were sent back by the same route.
He also pointed out that the police had coordinated with the concerned embassy to establish the identity of the deportees before they were sent back home.
“All the legal procedures according to international conventions were followed in dealing with the infiltrators,” he reiterated.
The boats used to smuggle infiltrators were confiscated.
He also said that there was a tendency among some to harbour these intruders and give them employment as well as shelter. “They are a big risk to the country as they not only bring narcotics but also violate various laws, including indulging in thefts,” he said.
He called on citizens as well as residents to cooperate with the police and report any suspicious case of illegal residents on 9999 or the nearest police station.
