YANBU, 13 June 2007 — The Expatriates Department yesterday arrested 12 overstayers and five people with fake iqamas in various raids on residential buildings in Yanbu as part of a campaign to apprehend illegal residents in the city.
A number of residential buildings inhabited by expatriates has been under surveillance of the Expatriates Department. One of the buildings raided housed 1,500 people of different nationalities, who worked for a company in Yanbu.
Twelve men were arrested in the campaign and another five while attempting to escape.
Maj. Lafi Sumran Al-Rifay, head of the Expatriates Department said, “These campaigns aim at ending the practice of overstayers coming to the Kingdom on Umrah visas and then violating its time limit to stay and search for work. They usually look for their compatriots to live with, who help them get fake residential licenses until they find work.”
He added, “The companies that employ overstayers will be questioned, and they will be punished for harboring overstayers. The overstayers will also be deported in the next few days.”
