JEDDAH, 19 October 2006 — Security forces apprehended 1,026 people in a police operation that targeted different districts in Jeddah in recent days. Security forces say they have made approximately 7,000 arrests so far this Ramadan in Jeddah alone.
A Saudi was arrested during a raid on Tuesday, suspected of committing various crimes. Police would not elaborate. Another Saudi was arrested in the operation for impersonating a well-known Saudi figure to hustle people of their money, said one officer, who, again, would not elaborate.
Only four criminal felonies were charged in Tuesday’s late-night operation. Most of the arrests were people residing illegally in the Kingdom. An unspecified number of arrests was made of people with valid iqamas (work/residency visas), but who were suspected of illegally renting to people who couldn’t provide proof of legal residency status.
As is routine procedure, police undertook raids with Saudi Electric Company employees who cut electrical power to properties found to harbor undocumented migrants. Police are calling in the property owners for questioning. Providing shelter to illegal migrants is a crime punishable with jail time and a fine up to SR100,000.
The government has been waging a campaign for years against illegal migrants in the Kingdom. In the past two years, security forces have found that illegal migrants are more likely to be committing crimes such as burglary, counterfeiting, pirate telecommunications operations, and brokering the employment of illegal maidservants.
