Cairo: Saudi authorities had rounded up a total of 16,151 illegal expatriates in one week as part of a high-profile clampdown on foreign violators of the kingdom’s residency, labour and border security laws, a local newspaper reported.
The arrests, made over the period from September 30 to October 6, included 6,970 violators of the kingdom’s residency system, 7,193 more violators of the border security rules and 1,988 others who breached the labour regulations, Okaz newspaper reported.
Some 9,281 illegals were deported during that period, according to the report.
A tally of 85,110 illegal expatriates including 8,929 women, are being subjected to measures while 69,795 others have been referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents before departure.
Meanwhile, 13 persons were arrested for involvement in transporting and sheltering violators of residency, border and work regulations, the report said.
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.
