Saudi Arabia: Over 11,300 Arrested and Thousands Deported in One Week

A major crackdown has been launched in Saudi Arabia regarding violations of residency, labour, and border security regulations. What is the full story? Let's take a look.

Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested 11,300 individuals within a single week during a nationwide crackdown on residency, labour, and border security violations. According to the Ministry of Interior, the arrests were made between 23 April and 29 April during joint operations involving various government agencies.

Breakdown of Violations

The Ministry reported that the arrests included:

• 6,244 for residency law violations.
• 3,543 for border security breaches.
• 1,513 for labour law violations.

Currently, 29,913 expatriates are undergoing legal procedures, consisting of 27,699 men and 2,214 women.

Deportation and Repatriation Status

Officials confirmed that 14,855 individuals have already been deported. Furthermore, 18,601 violators have been referred to their respective embassies to obtain travel documents, while 4,337 others are in the process of completing their return formalities.

Border Breaches and Legal Warnings

Data reveals that 1,330 people were apprehended while attempting to enter the kingdom illegally; of these, 43% were Yemeni nationals and 54% were Ethiopians. An additional 51 individuals were caught attempting to exit the country illegally.

Authorities also arrested 14 people for providing assistance to violators. The government has issued a stern warning that aiding illegal entrants can result in up to 15 years in prison and heavy financial penalties.