RIYADH - Around 16,638 violators of residency and labor laws and border security regulations have been arrested in various regions of the Kingdom within a week. The arrests were made during joint field campaigns carried out by various units of security forces and the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) during the period from August 26 to September 1. Those arrested included 5,800 violators of the residency laws, about 9,383 violators of the border security regulations, and more than 1,455 violators of the labor law. A total of 849 people were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom, of whom 55 percent were Yemeni nationals, 43 percent were Ethiopians, and 2 percent belonged to other nationalities while 19 people were arrested for trying to flee the Kingdom crossing borders. The security forces also arrested 11 people who were involved in transporting violators and giving them shelter. The total number of violators, who are currently subject to the punitive measures, accounted for more than 81,211 including more than 69,315 men and 11,896 women, while the cases of 63,491 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents for their deportation. The Ministry of Interior has warned that anyone who is caught facilitating anyone to enter the Kingdom in violation of the border security regulations, or provides him transportation or shelter or any assistance or service in any way, shall be awarded a maximum jail term of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million, and the confiscation of the means of transportation, and the residence used for shelter, in addition to publicizing their names in the local media.
