The majority of those arrested were hiding in old buildings and barns in the Jarwal, Al-Hafaiz, Abu Maragh and Al-Buhairat districts of the city, said Director of the Passport Department in the city Maj. Nasser Al-Qahtani. He added that those arrested were mainly nationals of African countries and Indonesian women.

Al-Qahtani said the raids were made a little ahead of Dec. 21, the last day by which Haj pilgrims should have left the Kingdom. Many Indonesian pilgrims are likely to remain in the Kingdom to work as housemaids following the recent difficulties in recruiting maids through recruitment agencies.