Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s security forces arrested 21,971 illegal residents across the Kingdom in a major crackdown conducted over a week, the Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday.
The arrests, made between October 10 and October 16, were part of joint field security operations carried out in coordination with various government agencies, targeting violators of the country’s residency, labor, and border security laws.
Among those detained, 13,186 individuals were found to be in violation of the Residency Law, while 5,427 violated the Border Security Law, and 3,358 were arrested for breaching the Labor Law.
The sweep also saw the detention of 1,421 people attempting to cross into Saudi Arabia illegally. Of those apprehended at the border, 64 percent were Ethiopian nationals, 34 percent were from Yemen, and the remaining two percent were of other nationalities. In addition, 53 individuals were arrested while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.
Authorities also apprehended 18 people for their involvement in transporting, sheltering, and employing illegal residents. The Ministry revealed that 15,775 expatriates—13,885 men and 1,890 women—are currently in various stages of legal proceedings as part of the enforcement of punitive measures.
Efforts to repatriate those arrested are underway. A total of 8,370 violators have been referred to their respective diplomatic missions to secure travel documents, while 2,054 have been sent to finalize their travel arrangements. So far, 12,355 violators have been deported.
The Ministry of Interior has warned that anyone found helping the illegal entry of individuals into Saudi Arabia, providing them with shelter, or offering them assistance of any kind, could face severe penalties, including up to 15 years in prison, fines of up to SR1 million, and the confiscation of vehicles and property used in the violations.
Citizens and residents are urged to report any violations by calling designated hotlines: 911 in the regions of Mecca, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, and 999 or 996 in other regions across the Kingdom.
