JEDDAH, 26 June 2005 — Security forces arrested 150 expatriates of varying nationalities at the Jeddah fish market on the Corniche on Friday. The arrests were part of a series of raids targeting illegal residents and their activities as well as those in violation of Saudization rules.
The raids at the fish market were in response to requests from Saudi fishermen and traders who seek to end the monopoly of some expatriates who sell frozen fish at reduced prices. The presence of so many expatriates has resulted in raising the rents of stalls and the marketing of fish brought from outside Saudi waters.
The arrests came after inspections carried out by a joint committee composed of representatives of the police, the municipality, passports and other government departments. Informed sources said the committee would carry out similar inspections in other markets including the halaga (vegetable market) to ensure they implement Saudization regulations and arrest violators of labor and iqama laws.
Brig. Muhammad Al-Maqati, director of preventive security in Jeddah, Col. Misfar Al-Joaid, director of public relations and guidance in the Jeddah police, held talks with fishermen after the raids on the situation in the market.
The municipality has spent some SR46 million to rebuild the market. It rented the spaces for selling fish for SR700 each to one company but the price later jumped to SR6,000 and is presently at SR21,600. There are 106 such units in the market. The prices of stalls has risen from SR15,000 to SR48,000. There are a total of 44 stalls in the market.
