RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested more than 15,000 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations, an official report has revealed.
From Dec. 16 to 22, a total of 7,777 people were arrested for violations of residency rules, while 5,375 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 1,924 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 208 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 64 percent were Yemeni and 28 percent were Ethiopian.
A further 34 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 27 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.
The authorities transferred 81,670 offenders to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents. A further 2,242 people were transferred to complete their travel reservations and 8,875 were deported.
The Saudi Ministry of Interior said that anyone found to be aiding illegal entry to the Kingdom, including transporting and providing shelter, could face imprisonment for a maximum of 15 years, a fine of up to SR1 million ($260,000), or 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.
