Riyadh: The Ministry of Interior conducted inspection campaigns in the Kingdom between October 31 to November 06 to ensure compliance with residency, labor, and border security laws.

According to Saudi Press Agency, the inspections yielded significant results, with 20,778 violations recorded across the Kingdom. The breakdown of these violations includes 11,523 related to residency, 5,711 to border security, and 3,544 to labor laws. During the operations, authorities apprehended 1,569 individuals attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom illegally, with the majority being Ethiopians at 73%, followed by Yemenis at 24%, and 3% from other nationalities. Additionally, 63 individuals were arrested for attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.

The authorities also arrested 15 individuals involved in transporting, sheltering, and employing violators. Currently, 20,363 expatriates, comprising 17,915 men and 2,448 women, are undergoing procedures for enforcing regulations. Among these, 12,138 were detained fo
r law violations and instructed to contact their respective embassies or consulates to obtain proper travel documentation. Furthermore, 3,128 were directed to make booking arrangements for their departure, and 9,254 violators have already been repatriated.

The Ministry of Interior has issued a stern warning that anyone facilitating illegal entry into the Kingdom, providing transportation, shelter, or any form of assistance or service to violators, could face severe penalties. These penalties include up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to SAR1 million, and the confiscation of vehicles and houses used in such illegal activities. The ministry emphasized that these acts are considered major crimes warranting arrest and urged the public to report any violations by contacting 911 in the Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern regions, or 999 and 996 in the rest of the Kingdom.