19,710 Violators of Residence, Work, Border Security Regulations Apprehended in Week


Riyadh: The inspection campaigns carried out by the Ministry of Interior throughout the Kingdom between May 2 and 8, 2024, to ensure compliance with residency, work and border security regulations, yielded the following results:

Across the Kingdom, 19,710 violations were recorded: 12,961 of residency, 4,177 of border security, and 2,572 of labor laws.

Some 979 individuals attempted to cross the border into the Kingdom illegally, of whom 43% Yemenis, 54% Ethiopians, and 3% of other nationalities; 46 people were arrested for attempting to illegally leave the Kingdom.

Twelve people involved in transporting, sheltering or employing violators were arrested.

A total of 49,407 expatriates (46,342 men and 3,065 women) are currently undergoing procedures for enforcing regulations.

Among the detained people for violating legal requirements, 40,391 were instructed to contact their country’s embassy or consulate to obtain proper documentation for travel, 3,016 were told to complete booking arrangements for their dep
artures, and 13,383 were repatriated.

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 with any other assistance or service may be penalized with up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SAR1 million, and that the vehicles used for transport or housing used for shelter may be impounded.

The ministry stressed that such acts are major crimes that warrant arrest.

It also urges people to report any violations by calling 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions, and 999 and 996 in the rest of the Kingdom.

Source: Saudi Press Agency