Arab News
Arab News, Sun, Feb 02, 2025 | Shaaban 3, 1446
Kingdom arrests 21,564 illegals in one week
Saudi Arabia:
Saudi authorities arrested 21,564 people in
one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the
Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
A total of 13,883 people were arrested for
violations of residency laws, while 4,668 were held over illegal border crossing
attempts, and a further 3,013 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,477 people
arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 55 percent were Ethiopian,
41 percent Yemeni, and 4 percent were of other nationalities.
A further 90 people were caught trying to cross
into neighboring countries, and 18 were held for involvement in transporting and
harboring violators, the SPA reported.
The Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to
be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom could face imprisonment for a
maximum of 15 years and a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000).
Suspected violations can be reported on the
toll-free number 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions, and 999 or 996 in other
regions of the Kingdom.