Saudi Arabia arrests 16,695 illegals in one week

RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 16,695 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

According to an official report, a total of 10,518 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 3,953 were held over illegal border crossing attempts and a further 2,224 for labor-related issues.

The report showed that among the 783 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 57 percent were Yemeni, 42 percent Ethiopian, and 1 percent were of other nationalities.

A further 32 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 18 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.

So far, the authorities transferred 43,535 offenders to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 1,995 were transferred to complete their travel reservations and 8,603 were deported.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), or confiscation of vehicles and property.

Suspected violations can be reported on the toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom.