- Out of those arrested, 5,793 faced residency law violations, 3,307 were apprehended for illegal border crossing attempts, and 2,719 for labor-related offenses
- Among the 1,382 individuals attempting to enter the Kingdom illegally, 61% were Ethiopian and 38% were Yemeni
RIYADH: Saudi authorities arrested 11,819 people in one week for breaching residency, work and border security regulations.
A total of 5,793 people were arrested for violations of residency laws, while 3,307 were held over illegal border crossing attempts, and a further 2,719 for labor-related issues.
The report showed that among the 1,382 people arrested for trying to enter the Kingdom illegally, 61 percent were Ethiopian, 38 percent Yemeni, and 1 percent were of other nationalities.
A further 32 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 ($267,000), 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.



