Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — In the ongoing crackdown against illegal residents as part of a nationwide campaign that began eight months ago, security authorities have apprehended a total of 1,359,345 people from various parts of the country. Those detained included violators of the systems of residency, labor and border security.

According to campaign officials, 1,017,427 expatriates have violated the system of residency, 233,125 labor laws and 108,793 border security.

The Nation Without Illegal Expats campaign was launched on Nov. 15, 2017, with 19 ministries and government departments participating.

The officials said a total of 21,112 people were apprehended while trying to sneak into the Kingdom across its southern borders. About 52 percent of the infiltrators were Yemenis, 45 percent Ethiopians and 3 percent of various nationalities.

They said 882 expatriates were arrested while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.

The campaign officials said 2,254 people were charged providing accommodation and transport to illegal residents. They included 446 Saudis, of whom 419 were investigated, punished and released while 27 are still under investigation.

They said a total of 346,976 illegal foreign residents were deported to their respective countries while 12,682 are currently held in detention centers in different parts of the Kingdom. They include 10,005 men and 2,677 women.

The officials said 189,687 illegal residents were referred to their diplomatic and consular missions to issue them with travel documents while 239,518 were completing flight bookings.