14,542 violators of residency, labor and border security laws arrested in a week

According to the Saudi Gazette, the Saudi Ministry of Interior has announced the arrest of 14,542 individuals for violations of residency, labor, and border security laws. The enforcement actions were conducted through joint inspections carried out by relevant government agencies between August 6 and August 12.

The breakdown of the arrests includes 7,216 individuals for violations of the Residency Law, 3,843 for Border Security Law violations, and 3,483 for Labor Law violations. Authorities also reported that 1,457 people were apprehended while attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom illegally. Of those border-crossing detainees, 32 percent were identified as Yemeni nationals, 67 percent as Ethiopian nationals, and one percent as belonging to other nationalities. Additionally, 19 individuals were arrested while attempting to exit the country illegally.

Following the arrests, the Ministry of Interior has initiated legal and administrative procedures for those in custody. A total of 12,945 illegal residents have already been deported. Furthermore, 18,818 violators have been referred to their respective diplomatic missions to facilitate the issuance of travel documents, while 6,355 individuals have been referred to complete necessary travel reservations. The Ministry continues to emphasize that anyone found facilitating illegal entry, transportation, or providing shelter to violators faces severe legal penalties, including imprisonment and significant fines.