Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The number of residency and labor law violators arrested in a crackdown as part of the campaign Nation Free of Illegal Expats launched on Nov. 15, 2017, has reached a total of 1,319,591, campaign officials announced.

They said 337,703 violators were deported to their respective home countries while 12,337 consisting of 9,407 men and 2,930 women are currently held in various detention centers to finalize the procedures against them.

According to the officials, 984,200 expatriates violated the system of residency, 228,988 the labor laws and 106,403 the system of border security.

They said as many as 20,095 were nabbed while attempting to sneak into the Kingdom across its southern borders. About 53 percent of the infiltrators were Yemenis, 44 percent Ethiopians and 3 percent from various nationalities.

The officials said 851 expatriates were apprehended while trying to leave the Kingdom illegally.

A total of 2,209 people, including 431 Saudi nationals, were accused of providing shelter and transport to illegal expatriates. Of them 402 Saudis were investigated, punished and released while 29 were still under investigation.

As many as 184,110 violators have been referred to their respective embassies and consulates to obtain travel documents while 232,435 are asked to complete flight bookings.

The Nation Without Illegal Expats campaign is being carried out with the participation of 19 ministries and government departments, including the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the General Department of Passports.