Over 16,000 Detained In Saudi Arabia For Residency And Labor Law Violations

The Ministry of Interior conducted inspection campaigns across Saudi Arabia from June 27 to July 3 to ensure adherence to residency, work, and border security regulations. These inspections resulted in 16,565 recorded violations: 9,969 related to residency, 4,676 to border security, and 1,920 to labour laws.

During the inspections, authorities apprehended 1,244 individuals attempting to cross into the Kingdom illegally. Among these, 37% were Yemenis, 60% Ethiopians, and the remaining 3% were of other nationalities. Additionally, 63 people were arrested for trying to leave Saudi Arabia illegally.

The Ministry also detained three individuals involved in transporting, sheltering, and employing violators. Currently, procedures are underway for enforcing regulations on a total of 20,780 expatriates (19,396 men and 1,384 women).

Of those detained for violating laws, 12,219 have been instructed to contact their respective embassies or consulates to obtain proper travel documentation. Furthermore, 2,931 individuals were told to complete booking arrangements for their departure.

Repatriation Efforts

A total of 9,663 expatriates have already been repatriated following the enforcement actions. The Ministry has emphasized that facilitating illegal entry into the Kingdom or providing any form of assistance is a serious crime.

The penalties for such acts can include up to 15 years in prison and fines reaching SAR1 million. Vehicles used for transport or houses used for shelter may also be impounded as part of the penalties.

Public Reporting

The Ministry urges citizens to report any violations by calling specific numbers: 911 in Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions; and 999 or 996 in other parts of the Kingdom. They stress that these acts are major crimes warranting arrest.

The Ministry's efforts highlight its commitment to maintaining strict compliance with residency and border security regulations across Saudi Arabia.

With inputs from SPA