The Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday that the security forces have arrested a total of 22,094 illegal residents during inspection raids carried out in various regions of Saudi Arabia during the last week. The arrests were made during the period between September 26 and October 2. Those who were arrested included 13,731 violators of the Residency Law, 4,873 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,490 violators of the Labor Law.

Overview of the Arrests

Breakdown of Violators by Law

• Residency Law Violators: 13,731 violators were arrested under the Residency Law.

• Border Security Law Violators: 4,873 individuals violated the Border Security Law.

• Labor Law Violators: 3,490 individuals violated the Labor Law.

Attempted Illegal Border Crossings

The total number of people arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom accounted for 1,337. Of these, 44% were Yemeni nationals, 53% were Ethiopian nationals, and 3% were of other nationalities. Additionally, 37 individuals were arrested while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.

Statistics of Arrested Individuals by Nationality

The breakdown of the nationalities of those arrested at the border reflects the ongoing security challenges posed by illegal immigration attempts, with Yemeni and Ethiopian nationals comprising the majority of violators.

Crackdown on Illegal Transportation and Sheltering

A total of 23 people involved in transporting, sheltering, and employing violators were also arrested. Legal procedures have been initiated against 13,979 expatriates who are currently in various phases of processing. Of these, 6,683 violators have been referred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, 2,461 are finalizing travel reservations, and 10,943 have already been deported.

Penalties for Assisting Violators

The Ministry of Interior warned that anyone facilitating the illegal entry of individuals into the Kingdom, transporting them within its territory, providing them with shelter, or offering any other form of assistance, may face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SR1 million. Additionally, vehicles used for transportation and houses used for sheltering violators will be confiscated.

Government’s Appeal to the Public

The ministry urged the public to report any cases of violation by calling 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, or 999 and 996 in the other regions of the Kingdom.