Cairo: Saudi authorities had arrested 13,795 illegal expatriates in one week as part of a sustained clampdown on foreign violators of the kingdom’s residency, labour and border security laws, according to a local newspaper.
The arrests, made over the period from September 23 to 29, included 5,749 violators of the kingdom’s residency system, 6,228 more violators of the border security rules and 1,818 others who breached the labour regulations, Okaz newspaper reported.
A total of 84,231 illegal expatriates including 9,035 women, are being subjected to measures, 69,176 others referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents while 10,081 other violators have been deported from the kingdom, the paper said.
As part of the field campaigns, authorities arrested 54 persons for involvement in transporting and sheltering violators of residency, border and work regulations, it added.
Saudi authorities have 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.
