Illegals lurking in mountains target Makkah neighborhood

MAKKAH — Residents of Makkah’s Al-Husseiniyyah district are complaining about large numbers of undocumented migrant workers they say are harassing drivers and others to use their services. Residents describe large numbers of workers who look for customers, trying to convince them to use their plumbing, electricity, maintenance and construction services, among others. Abdullah Al-Zahrani, a resident who spoke with Okaz/Saudi Gazette, said that it's unfortunate that hundreds of undocumented workers remain in the country and take advantage of the absence of supervision from municipal teams and passport departments. "We see these workers live in the mountains — we hope that the authorities raid their locations so as not to turn the neighborhood into a hotbed of crimes and irregularities," Al-Zahrani said. Another resident said workers had built wooden huts and shelters on the slopes of the mountains as accommodation. "This constitutes a significant risk to innocent people in their homes," he said. Another resident, Saed Al-Hathli, claimed that migrant workers managed to control and influence some roads and had formed groups based on nationality to live together. "It is a danger to the fabric of the neighborhood and its properties and their presence threatens the safety of families and households," he said. "Visitors who come specifically along the main road at peak times see the large numbers of workers inside residential neighborhoods. It seems that concerned bodies doesn't focus on such cases." The manager of the administrative officers for Makkah Police, Col. Sami Al-Saadi, said security campaigns are ongoing in all residential neighborhoods and the police were active in following up and monitoring undocumented workers. "We will not let a foreigner to live or conduct business without a legal ID," he said.