In a span of a week, Saudi Arabia has arrested 16,235 individuals for violations related to residency, labour laws, and border security. The sweep took place between October 12 to 18, as announced by the Ministry of Interior.
The breakdown of arrests reveals that 9,865 individuals breached the residency law, 3,610 violated border security rules, and 1,978 failed to comply with labour laws. Furthermore, authorities apprehended 782 individuals trying to enter Saudi Arabia illegally. Most of them were Yemeni nationals, followed by Ethiopians, with others hailing from various countries. A smaller group of 25 were caught attempting to leave the Kingdom without authorization.
Further investigations led to the arrest of eight people, accused of aiding and abetting these violators by providing transport, shelter, or engaging in activities to cover up these infringements.
The Kingdom’s current tally of those facing legal consequences for such violations has reached 46,907, with a majority being men (39,198).
Of these violators, 41,633 have been referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents. An additional 1,795 individuals are in the process of finalizing their travel bookings, while 9,280 have already been deported.
The Ministry of Interior warned of severe consequences for those assisting or harboring infiltrators, including a penalty of up to 15 years in prison and a fine reaching SR1 million. Assets used in aiding these transgressions, such as vehicles or properties, are also subject to confiscation.
