Dubai: More than 17,598 violators of residency and labour laws and border security regulations have been arrested in Saudi Arabia in less than a week from September 2 to 9, local media reported.
Those arrested included 6,594 violators of the residency laws, 9,229 violators of the border security regulations, and more than 1,775 violators of the labour law.
A total of 202 people were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom, of whom 48 per cent were Yemeni nationals, 49 per cent Ethiopians, and 3 percent belonged to other nationalities while 21 people were arrested for trying to flee the Kingdom by crossing its borders. Security forces also arrested 12 people who were involved in transporting violators and giving them shelter.
A total of 83,118 violators are currently subject to punitive measures, including 71,456 men and 11,662 women, while the cases of 65,186 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents for their deportation.
The Ministry of Interior has warned anyone caught facilitating people's entry into the Kingdom in violation of the border security regulations, or providing transportation or shelter or any assistance or service in any way, shall be awarded a maximum jail term of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million, and the confiscation of the means of transportation, and the residence used for shelter, in addition to their names being published in local media.
