Saudi Arabia: 21,000 violators of residency, labor and border security regulations apprehended

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Saudi security agencies continue their intensive efforts to enhance security and regulate the labor market, as the Ministry of Interior announced the results of its joint field campaigns that targeted monitoring and apprehending violators of residency, labor and border security regulations in all regions of the Kingdom, during the period from February 5 to 11.

Details of security seizures in numbers

The intensive field campaigns resulted in the apprehension of (21,029) violators of the regulations, and the violations were distributed as follows:

The residency system: accounted for the largest percentage of violations, with (12,875) people apprehended.
Border security system: (4,778) violators were apprehended.
Work system: (3,376) violators were identified and apprehended.

These figures reflect the ongoing security vigilance and the extensive field deployment of the competent authorities to ensure the strict application of regulations.

Border security and infiltration attempts

In the context of protecting the Kingdom's borders, security forces thwarted attempts by 2,307 individuals to infiltrate the Kingdom illegally. Demographic statistics revealed that 52% of these infiltrators were Ethiopian nationals, 47% were Yemeni nationals, and the remaining 1% were of other nationalities. Additionally, 75 individuals were apprehended while attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally.

Strategic context and importance of campaigns

These campaigns are of paramount importance that goes beyond mere security control; they are part of a comprehensive strategy adopted by the Kingdom to regulate the labor market and combat the informal economy, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030. Controlling violators of residency and labor regulations contributes to reducing criminal offenses, easing pressure on public services, and ensuring a fair competitive environment in the labor market.

Historically, the Kingdom has launched several initiatives such as the “A Nation Without Violators” campaign, which aims to regularize the status of expatriates and deport violators, reflecting the state’s commitment to enforcing the rule of law and protecting national and community security.

Deterrent penalties for those who cover up

The campaigns targeted not only violators but also those assisting them, resulting in the arrest of 29 individuals involved in transporting, harboring, and employing violators. The Ministry of Interior reiterated its strong warnings that any facilitation of border security violations or harboring of violators constitutes a serious crime punishable by arrest and is a breach of honor and integrity.

The penalties in this regard amount to:

Imprisonment for up to 15 years.
A financial penalty of up to one million riyals.
Confiscation of the means of transport and the accommodation used for sheltering.
Defaming those who disagree.

Procedures and reporting mechanism

Currently, 23,312 undocumented migrants are undergoing procedures to enforce the regulations, including more than 22,000 men and more than 1,000 women. Over 16,000 have been referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, and 13,213 have been deported.

The ministry called on everyone to cooperate and report any violations by calling (911) in the regions of Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and the numbers (999) and (996) in the rest of the regions of the Kingdom.