Over 14,000 violators of residency, labor and border laws arrested in one week

Joint field campaigns to monitor and apprehend violators of residency, labor, and border security regulations, conducted across all regions of Saudi Arabia from August 13 to 19, 2026, resulted in the arrest of 14,260 individuals.

The Ministry of Interior stated that the arrests included 6,900 violators of residency laws, 3,982 violators of border security regulations, and 3,378 violators of labor laws.

Details of the arrests

A total of 1,524 people were apprehended while attempting to cross into the Kingdom illegally, with 36% being Yemeni nationals, 63% Ethiopian nationals, and 1% from other nationalities. Authorities also detained 38 individuals for attempting to leave Saudi Arabia illegally.

The campaigns also led to the arrest of 24 people involved in transporting, harboring, employing, or concealing violators.

Legal procedures and deportations

Currently, 31,922 violators are undergoing legal procedures, including 29,961 men and 1,961 women. Additionally, 18,808 violators have been referred to their diplomatic missions to complete travel documentation, 5,386 to finalize travel bookings, and 13,724 have been deported.

Warnings and penalties

The Ministry of Interior warned that anyone who facilitates the entry, transport, shelter, or assistance of border security violators faces penalties of up to 15 years in prison, fines of up to 1 million riyals (SAR), confiscation of vehicles and properties used for sheltering, and public naming.

The ministry added that this crime is considered a major offense warranting detention and is deemed dishonorable. It urged the public to report violations via 911 in Makkah, Madinah, Riyadh, and the Eastern Province, or 999 and 996 in other regions.