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562,961 expats arrested for violating Saudi labor, residency and border security laws

562,961 expats arrested for violating Saudi labor, residency and border security laws
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Most crimes committed by workers who stay in Kingdom illegally. (Photo courtesy: Saudi Public Security Department)
562,961 expats arrested for violating Saudi labor, residency and border security laws
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Most crimes committed by workers who stay in Kingdom illegally. (Photo courtesy: Saudi Public Security Department)
Updated 12 February 2018

562,961 expats arrested for violating Saudi labor, residency and border security laws

562,961 expats arrested for violating Saudi labor, residency and border security laws

RIYADH: A total of 562,691 expatriates have been arrested since November last year for violating the labor, residency and border security regulations of the country.
The program was carried out under the nationwide campaign dubbed “A nation without violators.”
According to an announcement from the Public Security Division in the Kingdom, those arrested included 382,921 who did not have valid residence permits (Iqama), 127,566 without valid work permits, and 52,204 people who had violated the border security system.
A total of 7,996 people were apprehended while illegally entering Ƶ. About 69 percent were Yemeni nationals, 29 percent Ethiopians and 2 percent were from other nationalities, along with 501 people arrested while trying to run away from the Kingdom.
The total number of those involved in the transporting and harboring of the violators was 1,092.
The number of citizens detained for involvement in transporting or harboring the violators was 176, 162 of whom were released after completing the legal procedures, whereas the remaining 14 detainees are awaiting completion of procedures.
The total number of violators being subjected to the procedures is 11,939, including 9,828 men and 2,111 women.
Immediate penalties were imposed against 100,005 violators; 80,963 were transferred to their respective diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents; 89,339 were transferred to complete their travel reservations; and 127,221 were deported.
According to a Riyadh Police official, most of the crimes are committed by workers who stay in the Kingdom illegally. Those interested in staying legally have always come to the authorities to regularize their stay in the Kingdom, he added.