Riyadh: The Ministry of Interior conducted inspection campaigns in the Kingdom between February 27 to March 05 to ensure compliance with residency, labor, and border security laws.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the inspections yielded significant results, with 20,749 violations recorded across the Kingdom. These included 13,871 violations of residency laws, 3,517 of border security, and 3,361 of labor laws. During the operations, authorities intercepted 1,051 individuals attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom illegally. Among these, 43% were identified as Yemenis, 54% as Ethiopians, and the remaining 03% were from other nationalities. Additionally, 90 individuals were apprehended for attempting to leave the Kingdom unlawfully.
The ministry's efforts also led to the arrest of twelve individuals involved in the transporting, sheltering, and employing of violators. A total of 40,173 expatriates, comprising 35,862 men and 4,311 women, are currently undergoing procedures to enforce regulations. Among these, 32,375 have been detained for violations and have been instructed to contact their respective countries' embassies or consulates to secure proper travel documentation. Furthermore, 2,576 individuals have been advised to arrange their departure bookings, and 10,024 have been successfully repatriated.
The Ministry of Interior has issued a stern warning regarding the facilitation of illegal entry into the Kingdom. It stated that individuals who engage in transporting, sheltering, or providing assistance to violators could face up to 15 years in prison and fines reaching SAR 1 million. Moreover, vehicles used for transport or houses used for shelter may be confiscated as part of the penalties. The ministry emphasized that such actions are major crimes warranting arrest and urged the public to report any violations by calling 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions, and 999 and 996 in other parts of the Kingdom.