Saudi Arabia arrests 21,505 violators of residency, labour, and border laws in a week
Kingdom warns against facilitating illegal entry, transport or sheltering of individuals
Dubai: The Ministry of Interior of Saudi Arabia has announced it arrested a total of 21,505 individuals for violating residency, labour and border security laws across the Kingdom from March 28 to April 03, 2024.
These arrests come as part of comprehensive campaigns conducted in all regions to uphold the nation’s security and regulatory framework.
Violations include 14,323 for breaches of the Residency Law, 4,778 for the Border Security Law and 2,404 for the Labour Law. Among those apprehended, 1,295 were caught attempting to enter Saudi Arabia illegally, with Yemenis constituting 37 per cent, Ethiopians 61 per cent and other nationalities making up 2 per cent of the total. Additionally, 61 individuals were arrested for attempting to leave the country unlawfully.
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Nine individuals were also arrested for transporting, harbouring, employing and aiding violators of these laws. Currently, 61,301 expatriates are undergoing procedures related to these regulations, with 57,013 being men and 4,288 women.
Furthermore, 54,169 violators have been directed to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, 1,666 are completing travel reservations, and 7,423 have been deported.
The Ministry of Interior has warned against facilitating the illegal entry, transport or sheltering of individuals on Saudi territory, stating that such offenses could result in penalties of up to 15 years in prison and fines reaching SAR1 million. These actions are classified as major crimes, warranting immediate arrest.
The ministry encouraged the public to report any observed violations by contacting 911 in Mecca, Riyadh, and the Eastern regions, and 999 and 996 in other parts of the Kingdom.