RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested more than 14,000 people in one week for breaching residency, work, and border security regulations, an official report has revealed.
During the period of Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, a total of 7,413 arrests were made for violations of residency rules, while 5,398 people were held over illegal border crossing attempts and a further 1,708 on labor-related issues.
The report’s findings showed that among the 381 arrested while trying to cross the border into the Kingdom, 40 percent were Yemeni citizens, 57 percent Ethiopians, and 3 percent other nationalities.
A further 17 people were caught trying to cross into neighboring countries, and seven were held for involvement in transporting and harboring violators.
The Ministry of Interior stated that anyone found to be helping people gain illegal entry to the Kingdom and transporting or providing shelter for them 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.
