Riyadh – Units of security forces and Jawazat, the General Directorate of Passports, arrested 16,466 violators of residency, labor laws, and border security regulations during the past week.
The arrests were made between 9 and 15 September. The arrested included:
- 6,470 violators of the residency laws.
- 8,182 violators of the border security regulations.
- More than 1,814 labor law violators.
Three hundred four persons were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom; 32 percent were Yemeni nationals, 64 percent Ethiopians, and 4 percent belonged to other nationalities. Another 21 people were arrested for trying to flee the Kingdom illegally. The security forces also arrested a further 13 people involved in providing transportation and shelter to the violators.
The Ministry of Interior has warned that those caught facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, shelter, assistance, or service in any way will be sentenced to a jail term of up to 15 years, a maximum fine of SR1 million, the confiscation of transportation used in the crime, and confiscation of the residence used for shelter. Additionally, the facilitators will have their names publicized in the local media.
