Saudi Arabia rounds up record 23,040 illegals in weekly swoop
They include 12,951 who violated residency system, 6,592 border security rules
Cairo: Saudi authorities have arrested 23,040 foreign violators of the kingdom’s residency, labour and border security laws in one week, the highest such weekly arrests in more than two years.
The arrests were made across the kingdom during the February 29-March 6 period.
They included 12,951 violators of the kingdom’s residency system, 6,592 more violators of border security rules and 3,497 others for having breached the labour laws, according to a breakdown from the Interior Ministry.
The figure is the highest in a weekly security crackdown on illegals in Saudi Arabia since July, 2021 when a total of 19,812 violators were arrested, according to a Saudi newspaper.
In its latest weekly update, the Interior Ministry also reported that a total of 59,721 illegals, including 4,690 women, are currently being subjected to legal measures.
Repeated warnings
Some 52,815 others have been referred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents ahead of deportation, while 1,963 more illegals were referred to complete travel reservations.
Meanwhile, 9,179 violators were deported from the kingdom, the ministry said.
Nine people were arrested during the same period for involvement in transporting, sheltering and employing violators of the kingdom’s residency, border and work regulations.
The ministry has repeatedly warned that those who facilitate the entry of infiltrators into the kingdom, or provide them with transportation, shelter or any sort of assistance face penalties of a maximum of 15 years in prison, and a fine of up to SR1 million, as well as confiscation of the transport and the accommodation means, in addition to naming to shame them.
Saudi Arabia, a country of around 32.2 million people, hosts a large community of expatriate workers and has recently unveiled measures to regulate and stimulate the local labour market.
Authorities there are pursuing a high-profile nationwide campaign, dubbed “A country without a violator” targeting irregular expatriates.