JEDDAH, 26 April 2003 — Police in Riyadh have arrested an 11-member gang of illegal immigrants involved in forging iqamas (residence permits), and stamps from the passport and traffic departments, Al-Riyadh newspaper reported yesterday.
The Arabic daily said police raided the gang’s hide-out in Daraeyya following the arrest of an expatriate who held a forged iqama. Officers of the department of expatriates in Riyadh arrested the 11 members of the gang, who were carrying forged iqamas, the paper said.
The department confiscated materials used by the gang to forge iqamas, driving licenses and other official documents.
Col. Salman Al-Joaid, director of the department of expatriates in Riyadh, told the daily that his department would continue efforts to stop violators of iqama and labor rules in the region.
He called upon Saudis and expatriates to cooperate with the department by informing them about illegal residents.
Police also arrested three overstayers for allegedly robbing a supermarket in Naeeriya, Okaz reported.
The paper said the thieves took away SR3,000 in cash, pre-paid mobile phone cards worth SR1,000 and a number of cigarette cartons before running away from the spot. Police found a forged iqama on one alleged robber who admitted buying it from a person in Riyadh for SR500. He said he arrived in Naeeriya after passing several police checkpoints, but without being stopped. A security official told Okaz that illegal aliens who carry forged iqamas were exploiting the government concession allowing expatriates to travel anywhere in the Kingdom without a letter from their sponsors. The officer said it was difficult to detect forged iqamas at checkpoints without computers to check the documents.
