Arab News, Sunday, Sep 12, 2021 | Safar 5, 1443
Nearly 18k held for residency, labor, border violations in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia:
Nearly 18,000 violators of
residency, work and border security systems have been arrested in the Kingdom in
one week, according to an official report.
In the campaigns that took place in all regions of
the Kingdom from Sept. 2-8, there have been 17,598 offenders, including 6,594
for violating residency regulations, 1,775 for labor violations and 9,229 for
border violations.
The report said that 202 people were arrested
while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom: 48 percent were Yemeni
citizens, 49 percent were Ethiopians, and 3 percent were of other nationalities.
In addition, 21 people were arrested for trying to
cross into neighboring countries, and 12 were arrested for involvement in
transporting and harboring violators.
The total number of violators who were subjected
to procedures was 83,118, including 71,456 men and 11,662 women.
The authorities transferred 65,186 offenders to
their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 3,227
were transferred to complete their travel reservations and 9,421 were deported.
The Ministry of Interior said that whoever
facilitates the entry of violators to the Kingdom, transports them or provides
shelter or any other form of support will face imprisonment for up to 15 years,
a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), confiscation of the means of transport
or residence employed in the violation, and defamation.
The ministry called on people to report any
violation on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions. For all
other regions of the Kingdom, the numbers are 999 and 996.