Cairo: Saudi authorities have rounded up a total of 13,898 illegal expatriates in one week in nationwide campaigns targeting violators of the kingdom’s residency, labour and border security laws as part of a relentless crackdown, a Saudi newspaper has reported.
The arrests, made over the period of February 23 till March 1, included 8,001 violators of the kingdom’s residency system, 3,832 violators of the border security rules and 2,065 others who breached the labour regulations, Okaz added.
A total of 20,918 illegals, including 3,383 women, are currently being subjected to deportation measures, it said.
Some 2,480 others have been transferred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents ahead of deportation while 10,241 other illegals have been deported from the kingdom.
Authorities also arrested during the same period eight people involved in transporting, sheltering and employing violators of residency, border and work regulations, the report said.
In recent months, Saudi police announced arresting several people suspected of involvement in assisting border infiltrators and violators of the kingdom’s rules.
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, as well as confiscation of the transport and the accommodation means, in addition to naming to shame them.
Saudi Arabia, a country of around 34.8 million people, hosts a large community of migrant workers.
Saudi media, citing weekly tallies from the Interior Ministry, has reported arresting tens of thousands of illegal expatriates in recent months.
