Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Nearly 4.17 million violators of residency, work and border security systems have been arrested in Saudi Arabia, according to an official report.

During the crackdown under “Nation-Free of Violators” campaign, launched with 19 ministries and government departments, including the ministry of labor and social Development and the directorate general of passports (Jawazat), participating, a total of 4,179,880 violators were apprehended of whom 1,047,336 were deported to their respective homes.

Since the campaign began in November 2017, a total of 3,267,143 people have been held for violating residency regulations, 643,056 for labor violations and 269,681 for border violations. It said as many as 74,006 people were caught while attempting to infiltrate into the Kingdom through it southern borders consisting of 43 percent Yemenis, 54 percent Ethiopians and three prevent people of various other nationalities. According to the campaign, 2,915 people were caught while trying to exit the Kingdom illegally through its various border outlets.

The campaign said a total of 4,661 people were accused of providing illegal expatriates with accommodation and transport including 1,691 Saudis of whom 1,652 were interrogated, punished and released and 39 still being probed. It said 14,606 violating expatriates were being kept in detention centers consisting of 12,646 men and 1,960 women.

The campaign said 530,023 violators were referred to their concerned embassies and consulates to issue them with travel documents while 702,589 were still completing their travel arrangements.