JEDDAH — A total of 3,571,781 violators of the residency laws, work and border security were nabbed since November 2017 of whom 886,046 were deported to their respective homes, the Nation-Free of Violators campaign has announced. About 19 ministries and government departments, including the Ministry of Labor and Social Development and the Directorate General of Passport (Jawazat), are part of the campaign to get rid of illegal foreigners throughout the Kingdom. It said 2.79 million expatriates were in violation of the residency system, 551,238 the work laws and 234,640 the border security system. The campaign said some 60,450 people were apprehended while attempting to infiltrate into the Kingdom through its southern borders. They consisted of 50 percent Ethiopians, 47 percent Yemenis and three percent people of various other nationalities. It said some 2,624 people were caught while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally. The campaign said 4,041 people including 1,410 Saudis were accused of providing accommodation and transport to a number of illegal expatriates. Some 1,380 Saudis were investigated, punished and released while 30 are still being probed. It said 13,449 expatriates, consisting of 11,727 men and 1,722 women are currently kept in detention centers. The campaign said 458,631 violators were referred to their concerned embassies and consulates to issue them with travel documents while 588,622 were completing their flight bookings.
