Two Saudis held over transporting and sheltering illegal residents
Aiding border violators punishable by up to 15 years in jail, SR1m fine
Cairo: Authorities in Saudi Arabia had arrested two Saudi citizens for transporting and sheltering illegal residents amid a crackdown on violators of the kingdom’s laws, Saudi media reported.
Security forces in Asir in south-western Saudi Arabia had arrested a Saudi woman for having transported two illegal Somali woman, according to Okaz newspaper.
In another incident, a Saudi man had been arrested for sheltering in a rented apartment 10 Somali violators of the kingdom’s border security system.
A spokesman for Asir police said transportation and accommodation of violators of the border security rules is a major, dishonouring crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a hefty fine.
Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia said it had arrested 15,328 illegal residents in one week as part of a relentless clampdown on foreign violators of its residency, labour and border security laws.
The arrests, made over the period from December 22 to 28, included 8,808 violators of the kingdom’s residency system, 4,038 more violators of the border security rules and 2,482 others who breached the labour regulations.
During the same period, authorities arrested 10 persons for involvement in transporting and sheltering violators of residency, border and work regulations.
Saudi Arabia’s Interior 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.