JEDDAH, 14 May 2005 — Saudi security forces arrested more than 2,000 illegal residents including criminals and prostitutes yesterday as they raided hideouts in various parts of the city during a massive operation.
Some 1,000 members of the security forces were involved in the operation, which covered 600 houses dotted in 15 residential districts. Arab News was at the scene during the raid that started at 11 p.m. on Thursday and continued into yesterday morning.
The majority of illegals taken into custody were Indonesian women, a security source told Arab News. The arrested also included African, Asian and Arab nationals as well as Saudis.
Kandara, Saheefa, Jamia, Sharafiya, Ghaleel, Madain Al-Fahd, Nuzla, Karantina, Bani Malik and Balad were some of the districts in which the raids took place. This is the third large crackdown on criminals and overstayers in Jeddah in less than a month. A total of 6,000 criminals and overstayers have been arrested in those operations.
The raids came following reports of thefts and armed robberies in various parts of the city over the past months.
They also targeted factories supplying forged jewelry, illegal international call services and prostitution. “Among the captured were a few men and women with valid iqamas,” the source said. “They are the ones who rent houses in their names for various illegal and immoral activities.”
A police officer added that these iqama-holders take a percentage from each illegal worker they shelter.
The apprehended are fingerprinted to make sure they are not involved in other crimes in the city. “They will be medically examined before deporting them back to their home countries,” the source said. The fingerprinting is done in order to prevent these criminals and illegals from returning to the Kingdom and to ascertain whether they have committed any other crimes.
Those arrested included many runaway maids. Hundreds of Indonesian maids run away from their sponsors annually, one police report said, adding that they later join illegal networks, where they are either hired at higher pay to work in households or turn to prostitution.
No casualties were reported during the raids, the source said, adding that such raids would continue in various parts of the city until all criminals and illegals are arrested.
