JEDDAH, 18 June 2005 — Security forces in Jizan conducted a major cleanup operation in an area along the country’s border with Yemen and arrested 2,500 infiltrators as well as nine people involved in drug and human trafficking, press reports said yesterday.

Al-Watan newspaper reported that police had arrested the leader of the smuggling racket. The paper said the man, known as “Ghazanfar” (the lion), was wanted by police in connection with a number of crimes, including the sale of alcohol.

As many as 35 units from the patrol police, border guards and special security forces took part in the largest such operation ever in the region, according to Maj. Gen. Ahmed Gazzaz, director of Jizan police.

“We have arrested all criminals and illegal residents in the area and destroyed their hideouts,” he said.

Col. Abdullah Aseery, director of administrative affairs at Jizan police, led the campaign.

Gazzaz said his officers carried out the operation after weeks of thorough planning. He thanked tribal leaders and citizens for providing safe passage for security forces. He promised another major campaign soon to clear the remaining hideouts in the area.

The detainees included 227 women and 471 children who were to be deployed in various parts of the Kingdom for begging — which has become a lucrative trade for the human traffickers lately.

During the 10-hour operation in a shantytown known as “Chinese” hideout, south of Samita, police seized live ammunition and a large quantity of locally manufactured liquor and a number of motorcycles which the gang used.

The criminals and the infiltrators lived in makeshift houses built with mud bricks, wood and iron sheets, Al-Watan said. The houses contained holes for hiding.

The shantytowns known as the “Chinese” hideout and the “Japanese” hideout south of Samita in Jizan were notorious crime dens. Mostly women and children lived in the former while single men occupied the latter. Security forces had a tough time to reach the area because of the rugged terrain.

Although police rounded up the women and children without resistance, most of the male residents fled the area as the raids began.

Police combed nearly all the farms in the area and arrested hundreds of people who had escaped from their hideouts, the paper said quoting security sources. Maj. Gen. Gazzaz vowed further crackdowns to complete the mission.

With the help of municipality workers, police later demolished the shabby dwellings used by the illegals.