RIYADH — A total of 18,489 illegal residents have been arrested from various regions of the Kingdom during the last week. The arrests were made during the joint field security campaigns that were carried out by the security forces in collaboration with the relevant government agencies during the period between Nov.28 and Dec. 4, according to the Ministry of Interior. Those who were arrested included 10,824 violators of the Residency Law, 4,638 violators of the Border Security Law, and 3,027 violators of the Labor Law. The total number of people who were arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom accounted for 1,125, of whom 42 percent were Yemeni nationals, 56 percent Ethiopian nationals, and two percent belonged to other nationalities. A total of 57 people were arrested while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally. Thirty-one people, who were involved in transporting, sheltering, and employing violators, were also arrested. A total of 25,484 expatriates, including 22,604 men and 2,880 women, are currently undergoing various phases of legal procedures as part of punitive measures against them. A total of 17,981 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents while 2427 violators were referred to complete their travel reservations whereas 9529 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 called on 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
