Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Over 3.67 million violators of the residency laws, labor regulation and border security system were arrested since November 2017, of whom 912,483 were deported to their respective countries, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) quoted “A Nation Free of Violators” campaign report released on Friday.

About 19 ministries and government departments, including the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat), are part of the campaign to get rid of illegal foreigners throughout the Kingdom.

The report said 2.87 million expatriates were in violation of the residency regulation and 567,575 were in violation of the labor laws. Violators of the border security system were 240,598. The campaign said some 62,114 people were apprehended while attempting to infiltrate into the Kingdom through its southern borders. They consisted of 51 percent Ethiopians, 46 percent Yemenis and three percent people of various other nationalities.

It said some 2,074 people were caught while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally. The campaign said 4,136 people including 1,533 Saudis were accused of providing accommodation and transport to a number of illegal expatriates. Some 1,418 Saudis were investigated, punished and released while 115 are still being probed.

The report said 12,524 expatriates, consisting of 10,866 men and 1,658 women are currently kept in detention centers.

Summary penalties were handed out to 517,142 violators.

The campaign said 469,860 violators were referred to their pertinent embassies and consulates to issue them travel documents while 609,463 were completing their bookings for outbound journeys.

Meanwhile, some 912,483 violators were deported.