Saudi Gazette Report

RIYADH - Around 16,466 violators of residency and labor laws and border security regulations have been arrested in various regions of the Kingdom within a week.

The arrests were made during joint field campaigns carried out by various units of security forces and the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) during the period from 9 to 15 September.

Those arrested included 6,470 violators of the residency laws, about 8,182 violators of the border security regulations, and more than 1,814 violators of the labor law.

A total of 304 people were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom, of whom 32 percent were Yemeni nationals, 64 percent were Ethiopians, and 4 percent belonged to other nationalities while 21 people were arrested for trying to flee the Kingdom crossing borders. The security forces also arrested 13 people who were involved in transporting violators and giving them shelter.

The total number of violators, who are currently subject to the punitive measures, accounted for more than 84,038 including more than 73,291 men and 10,747 women, while the cases of 66,956 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents for their deportation.

The Ministry of Interior has warned that anyone who is caught facilitating anyone to enter the Kingdom in violation of the border security regulations, or provides him transportation or shelter or any assistance or service in any way, shall be awarded a maximum jail term of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million, and the confiscation of the means of transportation, and the residence used for shelter, in addition to publicizing their names in the local media.