Dubai: Saudi Arabia has arrested 17,616 illegal residents in a series of nationwide inspection raids conducted by the Ministry of Interior from August 15 to August 21.
The detainees included 11,022 individuals violating the Residency Law, 4,216 breaching the Border Security Law, and 2,378 infringing the Labour Law.
The arrests were part of joint field security campaigns involving various security forces and government agencies.
Of those arrested, 883 were caught attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom, with 41 per cent being Yemeni nationals, 58 per cent Ethiopian, and the remaining 1 per cent from other nationalities.
Additionally, 68 individuals were apprehended while trying to leave the Kingdom illegally.
Authorities also arrested 15 people accused of transporting, sheltering and employing those in violation of the laws. Currently, 14,542 expatriates are undergoing legal processes as part of the enforcement actions, including 13,471 men and 1,071 women.
Furthermore, 5,926 violators have been referred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, 2,070 are completing travel reservation processes, and 13,952 have been deported.
The Ministry of Interior has warned that anyone helping illegal entry, transportation, or sheltering of unauthorized individuals could face up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to SR1 million. The ministry also stated that vehicles and properties used in such activities would be confiscated.
