Saudi Arabia deports 12,000 illegal residents in nationwide crackdown

Dubai: Saudi Arabia has deported 11,894 illegal residents over the past week following a series of nationwide raids, the Ministry of Interior reported on Saturday.

The arrests were part of a larger campaign aimed at curbing violations of residency, labour, and border security laws.

Between September 19 and 25, Saudi security forces, in coordination with various government agencies, apprehended 15,324 individuals.

The ministry reported that 9,235 of those detained were in violation of the Kingdom’s Residency Law, 3,772 had breached border security regulations, and 2,317 were found to be working illegally.

Of those detained, 6,520 have been referred to their respective diplomatic missions to secure travel documents, while 1,385 are in the process of finalizing travel arrangements.

Authorities also arrested 1,226 individuals attempting to cross the border into Saudi Arabia, with 48 percent of them identified as Yemeni nationals and 51 percent as Ethiopian nationals. Additionally, 116 people were apprehended while trying to leave the country illegally.

The ministry also arrested four individuals accused of facilitating the illegal entry, sheltering, and employment of undocumented residents.

Saudi officials reiterated that such offenses could result in severe penalties, including up to 15 years in prison, fines of up to SR1 million, and the confiscation of vehicles or properties used in these activities.

The Ministry of Interior urged the public to report any violations, providing specific hotlines for Mecca, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province (911) and other regions (999 and 996).