ع
The Ministry of Interior released figures on Saturday showing that joint inspection campaigns across the kingdom from October 1 to 7 resulted in 13889 arrests for breaches of residency, labour and border security rules. According to the ministry, those detained included 6785 accused of violating residency regulations, 3710 suspected of border security offences and 3394 held over labour law infractions. The operations involved coordination with multiple government agencies as part of sustained efforts to uphold immigration and employment standards.
Authorities separately detained 1382 individuals attempting to enter the kingdom illegally during the same period, the ministry reported. Of those intercepted at the borders, 66 per cent were Ethiopian nationals, 33 per cent were from Yemen and the remaining 1 per cent represented other nationalities. An additional 34 people were arrested while trying to leave Saudi Arabia without proper documentation.
The ministry’s statement further noted the arrest of 21 individuals accused of transporting, sheltering or employing those in violation of the regulations. A total of 33113 expatriates, including 30438 men and 2675 women, are undergoing legal procedures related to these infractions. The ministry’s data places 18947 of those cases as referred to diplomatic missions for travel documents, with 4596 more completing travel bookings ahead of departure.
These latest results align with similar weekly campaigns conducted throughout 2026, in which Gulf News has reported deportation totals ranging from 11000 to more than 14000 violators per period. The Ministry of Interior has consistently warned that anyone facilitating illegal entry, transport, employment or accommodation of violators faces penalties including up to 15 years in prison, fines as high as one million riyals and potential confiscation of vehicles or property used in the offences. Such measures form part of broader initiatives to regulate the labour market where expatriates constitute a substantial share of the workforce.
Arab News coverage of the ministry announcement highlighted the availability of toll-free numbers for reporting suspected violations, including 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh regions and 999 or 996 elsewhere in the kingdom. The ongoing operations underscore authorities’ focus on border security amid regional migration pressures that have featured prominently in comparable enforcement actions over recent months. Official statements have emphasised that the campaigns aim to ensure compliance without specifying impacts on particular economic sectors.
