JEDDAH, 22 March 2004 — Swat teams of the Passports Department will conduct surprise raids of overstayers’ hideouts.
Its previous stately approach too often allowed illegal residents to get away.
The director of the Passports Department, Gen. Abdul Aziz Sajini, said over the past two years the department investigated the conditions of illegal residents and pinpointed areas where they live.
“Previously, when we received a tip-off, we had to go through several channels, but now the inspection teams can swoop on the location without waiting for approval from the top,” he said.
Sajini said patrols of the market had proved ineffective in the past because overstayers were either warned in advance or ran off as soon as they saw the inspectors coming.
