Saudi Arabia has started a major operation against people breaking residency, work, and border laws. Between July 4th and July 10th, authorities arrested 20,093 individuals in various inspection raids.
According to the Saudi Press Agency, 12,460 people were caught for residency violations, 5,400 for breaking border laws, and 2,233 for labor law breaches.
Regarding the nationalities of those caught, 1,737 were attempting to enter the country illegally: 42% were from Yemen, 57% from Ethiopia, and 1% from other countries. Moreover, 49 people were arrested for trying to leave Saudi Arabia illegally, and 16 were caught for helping violators by giving them transportation, shelter, or jobs.
Currently, 19,841 expatriates, including 18,209 men and 1,632 women, are going through legal procedures. 9,438 have been told to contact their embassies or consulates for travel documents. Meanwhile, 3,833 are arranging their travel plans, and 11,655 have already been sent to their home countries.
The Ministry of Interior warned that those who help illegal entries or aid violators face up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to SAR 1 million. Authorities might also confiscate any vehicles or properties used for these activities.
The ministry stressed the importance of following the rules and encouraged people to report violations using the hotlines 911 for Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions, and 999 or 996 for other areas.
During the Hajj season, the government also reminded everyone to get the necessary Hajj permit, as some pilgrims who died during the journey did not have permits.
