Saudi Authorities Apprehend 14,165 Residency, Labor and Border Violators in One Week
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RIYADH, September 5, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — Joint inspection campaigns across Saudi Arabia apprehended 14,165 people for violations of residency, labor and border security laws between August 27 and September 2, the Ministry of Interior said.
The total included 7,121 residency violations, 3,636 border security violations and 3,408 labor violations.
Authorities also apprehended 1,315 people attempting to enter the Kingdom illegally. Of those, 58% were Ethiopian nationals, 41% were Yemeni nationals and 1% were of other nationalities.
Another 42 people were caught attempting to leave Saudi Arabia illegally, while 21 individuals were arrested for transporting, sheltering, employing or concealing violators.
The ministry said 29,773 expatriates — 27,845 men and 1,928 women — are currently undergoing enforcement procedures.
A total of 18,937 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, while 3,240 were instructed to finalize travel arrangements. Authorities deported 12,363 people during the reporting period.
The Ministry of Interior warned that facilitating illegal entry, transporting violators, providing shelter or offering any form of assistance may result in up to 15 years in prison and a fine of up to SAR1 million.
Vehicles used to transport violators and properties used to shelter them may also be confiscated. The penalties may include public disclosure of the convicted person’s identity.
The ministry said these acts are classified as major crimes warranting detention.
Members of the public can report violations by calling 911 in the Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh and Eastern regions, or 999 and 996 elsewhere in the Kingdom.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
