More than 21,000 expatriates have been arrested in Saudi Arabia for violating residency, labor, and border security laws, according to the country’s law enforcement authorities. Among them, around 10,000 expatriates have already been deported to their home countries. The Gulf News, an English daily in the United Arab Emirates, reported this on Sunday, citing a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Interior.
The statement mentioned that over the past week, authorities conducted operations across various parts of Saudi Arabia, leading to the arrest of these expatriates. The arrests were made as part of a nationwide security campaign.
According to the Ministry of Interior, among the arrested individuals, around 14,000 were detained for violating residency laws, 4,600 for breaching border security regulations, and more than 3,000 for labor law violations. Several security forces and government agencies collaborated in these joint operations to carry out the arrests.
Additionally, over 27,000 expatriates have been sent to their respective diplomatic missions to complete necessary travel documentation before being deported. Furthermore, arrangements have been finalized to deport an additional 2,300 individuals.
The statement also revealed that 1,477 people were arrested while attempting to illegally cross the border into Saudi Arabia. Among them, the majority were Yemeni and Ethiopian nationals, with 41% being Yemeni, 55% Ethiopian, and the remaining 4% from other countries.
At the same time, 90 expatriates were arrested while trying to leave Saudi Arabia illegally. Additionally, 18 individuals residing in Saudi Arabia were arrested for providing shelter and transportation to those violating residency and labor laws.
Currently, legal proceedings are ongoing against 34,000 expatriates, including 31,000 men and 3,000 women.
Saudi Arabia has strict laws against illegal entry into the country. Anyone found aiding such illegal entry attempts could face up to 15 years in prison and a fine of 1 million Saudi Riyals. The Ministry of Interior has repeatedly warned against such activities.
Saudi Arabia, a desert nation, has a population of approximately 34.8 million people, with millions of migrant workers from various countries employed there.