Cairo: Saudi police had arrested eight illegal expatriates suspected of involvement in car thefts and sale of their parts in the capital Riyadh, a security official has said.
The eight suspects – seven Sudanese nationals and an Egyptian – were found to have also violated the kingdom’s residency system.
They are accused of stealing broken-down cars, loosening their parts and trading in them at outlets of second-hand items, spokesman for Riyadh police Major Khalid Al Karidis added.
Police had retrieved five stolen cars from them before they could illegally market their parts, he said.
Last week, Riyadh police said they arrested 17 other illegal foreign residents involved in stealing and dealing in abandoned cars. The suspects included 14 Sudanese nationals and three expats — one each from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Syria.
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.
Earlier this month, the Saudi Interior Ministry announced arresting 15,806 illegal expatriates in one week as part of a high-profile clamp-down on foreign violators of the kingdom’s residency, labour and border security laws.
