“Police have been receiving a lot of tip-off calls on its toll free number (642-5550) from people complaining about criminal activities in their areas. Police task forces set up checkpoints in these areas and various other places across the city,” First Lt. Nawaf Al-Bouq of the Jeddah police told Arab News.
Al-Bouq said some of the crimes involved, including drug and alcohol dealing, vehicular theft, fraud, unlicensed business operations and harboring illegal immigrants.
“Those arrested are in police custody and they will be handed — along with any items seized as evidence during the raid — to the concerned authorities,” said Al-Bouq. Jeddah Police Director Maj. Gen. Ali Muhammad Al-Ghamdi said local residents welcomed the police operations, but he also said they should do more to fight the problem of illegal residents.
“Residents have to stop hiring undocumented labor and using their services, and they have to be aware of the dangers to society and to public security in hiring undocumented labor,” he said.
Al-Ghamdi also praised members of the public for reporting crimes and he hoped for continued cooperation between the police and the local people.
