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The Ministry of Interior detailed the results of nationwide joint inspection campaigns that led to the arrest of 14796 individuals between September 3 and 9 for violations involving residency labor and border security regulations. Security forces coordinated with other government agencies to carry out the field operations across multiple regions. The ministry released the figures through the Saudi Press Agency as part of its regular weekly updates on enforcement activities.
According to the ministry 7504 of those arrested had breached residency laws while 3783 were held for issues related to border security and 3509 faced detention over labor regulation violations. The operations focused on identifying and addressing these distinct categories of infractions through systematic checks. Data from the campaigns provide authorities with an overview of compliance levels in each area.
The Ministry of Interior report showed that 1273 people were intercepted while attempting to enter the Kingdom illegally with 55 percent identified as Ethiopian 44 percent as Yemeni and 1 percent from other nationalities. An additional 25 individuals were arrested for trying to exit Saudi Arabia without authorization. Twenty one people were detained for transporting harboring or employing violators the ministry stated.
At the time of the report 30257 expatriates including 28529 men and 1728 women remained subject to procedures for enforcing immigration and labor rules. The ministry referred 18677 violators to their diplomatic missions to secure travel documents and directed 3487 others to finalize travel reservations. Officials deported 12057 individuals during the week as part of the enforcement measures.
The Ministry of Interior warned that anyone facilitating illegal entry by providing transportation shelter or other assistance faces imprisonment for up to 15 years. Such offenders may also incur fines of up to 1 million Saudi riyals along with confiscation of vehicles or property used in the activity. The ministry further noted that convictions can include publicizing the sentence as an additional penalty.
A review conducted by Business Insider Africa of official weekly announcements placed the total deportations for similar violations above 332000 in the first eight months of 2026. The publication examined data from roughly 30 reporting periods between January and late August. Comparable campaigns have consistently produced arrest totals in the range of 14000 to 15000 over the course of the year.
The Ministry of Interior urged the public to report any suspected violations using designated hotlines. Callers in Makkah and Riyadh should dial 911 while those in other parts of the Kingdom can use 999 or 996. This reporting system supports authorities in identifying and addressing potential breaches of residency labor and border regulations.
