Cairo: Saudi Arabia has deported 12,101 unregistered expatriates amid an ongoing nationwide clampdown on illegal foreigners, according to official figures.
The deportations were part of a weekly update issued by the Saudi Interior Ministry that said 22,716 other foreigners were rounded up in one week for having violated the kingdom’s residency, labour and border security laws.
The arrests were made during security campaigns across the kingdom on September 12-18. They included 14,446 of the kingdom’s residency rules, 4,780 for infringing the border security system and 3,490 others for breaching labour laws.
A total of 15,752 illegals, including 1,585 women, are currently being subjected to disciplinary measures, according to the ministry’s update.
In addition, 6,765 others have been referred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents ahead of deportation while 2,232 more violators are completing their travel reservations.
Authorities arrested 10 people involved in transporting, sheltering and employing violators of the kingdom’s residency, border and work regulations.
The Saudi 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, besides confiscating the transport and the accommodation means.
Saudi Arabia, a country of around 32.2 million people, hosts a large community of expatriate workers. Authorities there are undertaking security campaigns, dubbed “A country without a violator” targeting irregular expatriates.
