14,542 Arrested in Weekly Kingdom-Wide Crackdown

Saudi security forces and cooperating government agencies arrested 14,542 people across the Kingdom in one week for violating residency, labor, and border security regulations, as part of ongoing nationwide joint inspection campaigns.

The arrests included 7,216 people for residency law violations, 3,843 for border security violations, and 3,483 for labor law violations. Authorities also apprehended 1,457 individuals while attempting to cross into the Kingdom illegally — about 67% Ethiopian, 32% Yemeni, and 1% of other nationalities. A further 19 people were caught trying to leave the country illegally.

In addition, 22 individuals were arrested for transporting, sheltering, employing, or otherwise assisting violators. Around 32,479 expatriates were undergoing procedures to enforce regulations, including 30,540 men and 1,939 women. Of these, 18,818 were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, 6,355 were referred to complete travel arrangements, and 12,945 were deported.

Penalties and Reporting

Authorities reminded the public that helping violators enter the country, transporting or sheltering them, or providing them with assistance or services is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to 1,000,000 SAR, along with possible confiscation of vehicles and property used in the violations.

Suspected violations can be reported on 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern Province regions, and on 999 or 996 in other regions of the Kingdom. The campaigns reflect continued efforts to regulate the labor market and protect community security across all regions.

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