Local

In a Week: 15,591 Violators of Residency and Border Security Laws Apprehended

Al-Madinah - Riyadh

Date of Publication: July 4, 2026 1:02 PM KSA

In all regions of the Kingdom:

The joint field campaigns to monitor and apprehend violators of residency, labor, and border security laws, conducted across all regions of the Kingdom, for the period from 10 to 16 / 1 / 1448 AH corresponding to 25 / 6 to 1 / 7 / 2026 AD, resulted in the following:

First: The total number of violators apprehended during the joint security field campaigns across all regions of the Kingdom reached 15,591 violators, including 7,759 violators of the residency system, 4,488 violators of the border security system, and 3,344 violators of the labor system. Second: The total number of individuals apprehended while attempting to cross the border into the Kingdom was 1,629 persons (46% Yemeni nationals, 53% Ethiopian nationals, and 1% other nationalities). Additionally, 58 persons were apprehended for attempting to cross the border out of the Kingdom illegally.

Third: Seventeen individuals involved in transporting, sheltering, employing, and covering up for violators of residency, labor, and border security laws were apprehended. Fourth: The total number of violators currently undergoing enforcement procedures is 27,445 violators, including 25,412 men and 2,033 women. Fifth: A total of 16,912 violators were referred to their diplomatic missions to obtain travel documents, 4,174 violators were referred to complete their travel bookings, and 12,292 violators were deported.

The Ministry of Interior emphasized that anyone who facilitates the entry of border security violators into the Kingdom, transports them within the country, provides them with shelter, or offers any assistance or service in any form, exposes themselves to penalties of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to one million riyals, confiscation of the means of transport and the shelter used, as well as public shaming. It clarified that this crime is considered a major offense that warrants arrest and is a crime against honor and integrity. It urged reporting any violations to the numbers 911 in the regions of Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, and 999 and 996 in the rest of the Kingdom.