RIYADH — A total of 19,710 illegal residents have been arrested in inspection raids in all regions of the Kingdom during the first week of May, according to the Ministry of Interior. The arrested illegals included 12,961 violators of the Residency Law, 4,177 violators of the Border Security Law, and 2,572 violators of the Labor Law, the Saudi Press Agency reported quoting the ministry's statement. The illegals were apprehended during the joint field security campaigns carried out by security forces and the concerned government agencies during the period from May 2 to May 8. The total number of people who were arrested while trying to cross the border into Saudi Arabia stood at 979 people, 41 percent of whom were Yemeni nationals, 54 percent Ethiopian nationals, and three percent belonged to other nationalities. Another 46 people were arrested while trying to cross the borders to outside the Kingdom in an illegal manner. The ministry said that 12 people were arrested for their involvement in transporting, harboring, and employing violators of residency, work, and border security regulations and giving shelter to illegal residents. The total number of people who are currently under various phases of legal procedures for violations reached 49,407 expatriates, including 46,342 men and 3,065 women. A total of 40,391 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents while 3,016 violators were referred to complete their travel reservations, in addition to deportation of 13,383violators. The Ministry of Interior stressed that anyone who facilitates the entry of violators of the Border Security Law into Saudi Arabia, as well as providing them transportation, shelter, or any assistance or service in any way, will be slapped with penalties of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to SR1 million, and confiscation of the means of transportation and housing used for accommodation, in addition to publicizing their names in the local media at their own expense. The Ministry of Interior urged the public to report any cases of violation by calling the number 911 in the regions of Makkah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province and the numbers 999 and 996 in the rest of the regions across the Kingdom.
