Saudi authorities arrested 15,245 people in one week for breaching residency, work, and border security regulations.
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Specific number: | 15,245 people were arrested. |
| Time period: | one week, from August 10 to 16. |
| Categories of offenses: | Residency violations, illegal border crossing attempts, and labor-related issues. |
The investigation showed that 53 percent of the 829 people who were caught trying to illegally enter the Kingdom were Yemenis, 44 percent were Ethiopians, and 3 percent were from other countries.
Sixty more people were caught trying to get into neighboring countries, and three people were held for moving and hiding people who broke the law.
So far, the officials have sent 33,579 criminals to their respective diplomatic missions to get travel documents, 1,924 criminals to their respective diplomatic missions to finish making travel plans, and 9,104 criminals have been deported.
The Saudi Ministry of the Interior said that anyone who helps illegal immigrants get into the Kingdom by giving them transportation or a place to stay could be jailed for up to 15 years, fined up to SR1 million ($260,000), or have their cars and property taken away. In Makkah and Riyadh, you can call 911 for free to report possible violations. In other parts of the Kingdom, you can call 999 or 996.—AN