An official source with the Saudi prosecution has confirmed that four expatriates have been sentenced to a total of 20 years in prison for counterfeiting money and ordered to pay fines of SR125,000 each.

A source said that the kingdom's Economic Crime Prosecution charged the four Asians with forming a criminal group after they were caught with counterfeit SR8,700 and electronic banknote printing equipment.

The four were convicted and sentenced to five years in prison each, as well as confiscated the equipment seized.

Upon serving their terms, the court ordered their deportation from the kingdom.

According to the source, prosecution efforts are being made to ensure that the monetary process in the kingdom is protected from unlawful practices. It was not immediately clear when the case unravelled.

According to Saudi prosecution, two Arab expatriates were sentenced to six years in prison and fined SR200,000 after they were convicted of money laundering.

According to a prosecution source, the duo amassed fabulous money from unlawful practices with the intention of smuggling it abroad.

In addition to confiscating money seized from both defendants estimated at SR3.3 million, as well as an unspecified cache of foreign currencies and revenues derived from the crime, a court ordered the confiscation of their property.

Additionally, they will be deported from Saudi Arabia after serving their sentences and will not be allowed to return.

Over the last few years, Saudi Arabia, which has about 34.8 million people, has intensified its crackdown on graft.