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Saudi authorities have arrested 22,993 expatriates across various regions for violating residency, labor, and border security laws within a week, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The arrests were made between October 3 and October 9 through joint operations by the country’s security forces and relevant government agencies.
According to an official report, a total of 14,269 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 5,230 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 3,494 for labor-related issues.
Among the 1,378 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 58 per cent were Ethiopian, 41 per cent Yemeni, and 1.0 per cent were of other nationalities.
A further 80 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and 19 were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.
The 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.