RIYADH — The Ministry of Interior announced on Saturday the arrest of 22,373 illegal residents during inspection raids carried out in all regions of Saudi Arabia during last week. The arrests were made during the joint field security campaigns carried out by security forces and the concerned government agencies during the period between Sept. 5 and Sept. 11. Those who were arrested included 14,216 violators of the Residency Law, 4,943 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,214 violators of the Labor Law. The total number of people who were arrested while trying to cross the border into Saudi Arabia stood at 1,507, of whom 46 percent were Yemeni nationals, 53 percent Ethiopian nationals, and one percent belonged to other nationalities while 80 people were arrested while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally. Seven people, who were involved in transporting, sheltering, and employing violators, were also arrested. A total of 15,536 expatriates, including 14,203 men and 1,333 women, are currently undergoing various phases of legal procedures as part of punitive measures against them. A total of 6,395 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents while 2,030 violators were referred to complete their travel reservations whereas 13,475 violators were deported. The Ministry of Interior has warned that any person who facilitates the illegal entry of individuals into the Kingdom, transports them on its territory, provides them with shelter or any other assistance or service may be penalized with up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SR1 million, and that the vehicles used for transportation or houses used for giving shelter will be confiscated. The ministry 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 Kingdom's regions.
