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The Ministry of Interior placed the number of infiltration attempts at 1,382 during the seven-day period. Of those detained while trying to cross into the kingdom illegally 61 percent were Ethiopian nationals 38 percent were Yemeni and 1 percent were from other countries according to the ministry’s breakdown. Authorities also arrested 32 individuals attempting to leave the kingdom without permission in the same campaign.
The ministry reported that joint security teams arrested a total of 11,819 violators across residency labor and border rules in the week. These included 5,793 people held for residency violations 3,307 for border security breaches and 2,719 for labor law offenses. Separately 19 individuals faced detention for transporting sheltering or employing people in violation of the regulations.
Ministry figures show that 32,139 expatriates including 29,934 men and 2,205 women remain in legal procedures tied to these violations. The update indicated that 9,992 people were deported during the period while 19,893 were referred to diplomatic missions for travel documents and another 4,091 were directed to arrange their departures. Such actions reflect the scale of the ongoing nationwide enforcement drive.
The Ministry of Interior warned that anyone facilitating illegal entry by providing transport accommodation or other assistance faces severe penalties. These can include imprisonment for up to 15 years fines as high as 1 million Saudi riyals and confiscation of any vehicles or property involved. The statement emphasized that such support for violators constitutes a serious crime under Saudi law.
Earlier ministry statements documented comparable enforcement in the preceding weeks with more than 1,200 infiltration attempts recorded in mid-September operations. Those campaigns produced nearly 12,000 deportations and placed over 30,000 additional expatriates into legal processing according to the released data. The pattern points to a sustained focus on border security and regulatory compliance.
Officials have urged residents to report suspected violations using toll-free numbers including 911 in the Makkah and Riyadh areas or 999 and 996 in other regions. The ministry’s weekly updates continue to detail both preventive border measures and interior inspections targeting irregular migration. Data from the operations underscore the coordinated role of security forces and multiple government agencies in maintaining order.
