Saudi Arabia arrests over 15,500 residency, labor, border security violators in one week

Saudi Arabia has intensified its crackdown on illegal residency, labor, and border security violations, arresting over 15,500 individuals in a single week. Between June 25 and July 1, joint security campaigns resulted in the apprehension of 15,591 violators across the Kingdom, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Interior (MOI).

The arrested individuals were categorized into three main groups: 7,759 violators of residency regulations, 4,488 violators of border security regulations, and 3,344 violators of labor regulations. These figures underscore the ongoing efforts by Saudi authorities to enforce national laws and maintain security.

Furthermore, the ministry reported that 1,629 people were arrested while attempting to enter the Kingdom illegally. Among these, 53 percent were Ethiopian nationals and 46 percent were Yemeni nationals, with the remaining 1 percent from other nationalities. Additionally, 58 individuals were apprehended for attempting to leave the country illegally.

The crackdown also extended to those aiding illegal activities, with 17 individuals arrested for transporting, sheltering, employing, or otherwise assisting violators. The MOI stated that a total of 27,445 violators, including 25,412 men, were apprehended during this period, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the security operations.