Saudi Arabia arrests over 11,500 violators of laws, deports 9,215 in one week

Dubai: Saudi authorities has arrested11,657 illegal residents were over the past week as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing crackdown on residency and labour law violators, the Ministry of Interior announced on Sunday.

The arrests were made during the joint campaigns carried out by the security forces between May 29 and June 4, in collaboration with the relevant government agencies.  

According to the ministry, the detainees included 6,981 violators of the Residency Law, 3,190 violators of the Border Security Law, and 1,486 violators of the Labour Law.

Of these, 9,215 violators were deported while 12,122 were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents and 1,435 were referred to complete their travel reservations.

Some 17,018 illegal residents, including 15,991 men and 1,027 women, are currently undergoing various phases of legal procedures as part of punitive measures against them.

The ministry reiterated its warning that any person, who facilitates the illegal entry of individuals into the Kingdom, transports them on its territory, provides them with shelter or any other assistance or service may be penalised with up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SR1 million, and that the vehicles used for transportation or houses used for giving shelter will be confiscated.

The ministry urged the public to report violation by calling the number 911 in the regions of Mecca, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province and the numbers 999 and 996 in the Kingdom’s other regions.