Saudi authorities arrest 18,538 illegals in one week

Saudi authorities arrested 18,538 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

According to an official report, a total of 11,047 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 4,299 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,192 for labor-related issues.

The report showed that among the 851 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 40 percent were Yemeni, 59 percent Ethiopian, and 1 percent were of other nationalities.

A further 55 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and six were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.

So far, authorities have transferred 47,977 offenders to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 1,892 were transferred to complete their travel reservations and 9,927 were deported.

The Saudi Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be facilitating illegal entry to the Kingdom, including providing transportation and shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), as well as confiscation of vehicles and property.

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.