Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Nine wanted criminals were arrested in Riyadh on Friday by security officials amid the ongoing crackdown on illegal residents, according to Col. Fawwaz Al-Maiman, spokesman for Riyadh police.

He said the men were wanted for various crimes but they were on the loose for quite some time.

Al-Maiman said the campaign also uncovered a liquor factory. People running it were arrested and all its equipment seized.

The spokesman said the campaign of A Nation Without Illegal Expats, supported by the special forces, combed Al-Faisaliyyah and Al-Sulai districts of Riyadh on Friday.

He said 29 violations of the labor law were registered and six expatriates were apprehended for illegally running a scrap shop.

Al-Maiman said 2,100 expired car tiers were confiscated, in addition to 600 fake earphones and 900 counterfeit cell-phone batteries.

He said 2,700 imitation shampoo containers and 1,700 bottles of fake perfumes were also found during the inspection campaign.

The police spokesman said an illegal expatriate was caught while trying to distribute 16 bottles of the locally-made liquor. They also arrested 14 people who were drunk.

The officers caught 24 expatriates who were part of a prostitution network, he added.

He said 10 expatriates who worked as security guards in violation of the labor law were also arrested.

The spokesman said as many as 3,267 traffic violations were registered, 27 violating vehicles confiscated and four drivers who were transporting illegal expatriates were caught during the campaign.

About 20 beggars, who were all non-Saudis, were nabbed and handed over to the concerned authorities, he added.