19,989 Legal Violations Recorded in Nationwide Inspection Campaign

The Ministry of Interior conducted inspection campaigns across Saudi between August 8th and the 14th, with a focus on residency, labour and border security law compliance. The inspections revealed 19,989 violations: 12,608 residency permit violations, 4,519 border security breaches, and 2,862 instances of labour law flouting.

The authorities apprehended 913 individuals attempting to cross the border into Saudi Arabia illegally, 32% of which were identified as Yemeni, 65% as Ethiopian, and 3% from other nationalities. 34 individuals were also arrested for attempting to leave the Kingdom illegally, and nine people were reprimanded for aiding and abetting those offenders.

The ministry has reaffirmed publicly that the penalty for aiding and abetting violators is up to 15 years in prison, and up to SAR 1 million in fines.

At present, 15,803 expatriates have been detained, and among those detained, 5,028 individuals have been instructed to contact their countries' embassies or consulates to obtain proper travel documentation, 2,955 have been directed to make booking arrangements for their departure, and 11,361 have already been deported.