Over 22,000 Violations Of Residency And Labor Laws Recorded By Saudi Authorities In One Week

The Ministry of Interior recently carried out inspection campaigns across Saudi Arabia from July 24 to July 30. These efforts aimed to ensure adherence to residency, labour, and border security laws. The operations uncovered 22,147 violations, with 13,835 related to residency, 4,772 concerning border security, and 3,540 linked to labour laws.

Authorities apprehended 1,816 individuals attempting illegal entry into the Kingdom. Among them, 36% were Yemenis, 62% Ethiopians, and the remaining 2% from other nationalities. Additionally, 34 people were caught trying to exit the Kingdom unlawfully.

In a related move, authorities detained 20 individuals for their involvement in transporting, sheltering, or employing violators. Currently, procedures are underway for 21,143 expatriates—18,326 men and 2,817 women—to enforce regulations effectively.

The Ministry has issued a stern warning against facilitating illegal entry into the Kingdom. Those who transport or provide shelter or assistance to violators could face up to 15 years in prison and fines reaching SAR1 million. Vehicles used for such activities may also be confiscated.

Efforts are ongoing to manage those detained for regulatory breaches. A total of 13,569 individuals have been instructed to contact their respective embassies or consulates for travel documents. Meanwhile, arrangements are being made for the travel of 3,566 people.

Furthermore, authorities have successfully repatriated 10,820 individuals as part of these enforcement actions. The Ministry emphasised that these violations are serious crimes warranting arrest and urged citizens to report any infractions by calling designated numbers in different regions.

The public is encouraged to report violations by contacting either 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions or using numbers 999 and 996 elsewhere in the Kingdom. This initiative underscores the importance of community involvement in maintaining law and order.

With inputs from SPA