The Border Guard’s marine and land patrols arrested 20,110 people trying to leave Saudi Arabia illegally over the past two weeks.

A total of 29,549 people tried to leave the country recently. The Border Guard also arrested 9,439 people who tried to enter the country illegally. Those arrested are from nine different countries.

Border Guard spokesman Col. Mohammad bin Saad Al-Ghamdi, told local media that some of the captured individuals were Saudi nationals. Investigations are underway to determine whether the captured individuals are involved in criminal or security offenses.

If investigations prove that they are involved in criminal activities, the relevant authorities will launch further investigations and action.

Al-Ghamdi said the Border Guard had previously caught expatriates and Saudis trying to leave the country who were involved in murder cases and drug smuggling.

Al-Ghamdi said the Border Guard’s patrols thwarted an attempt to smuggle 1,118 kg of hashish, and more than 100,000 kg of qat between June 10 and June 25.

He said officers arrested 240 smugglers and confiscated 54 weapons and more than 48,000 rounds of live ammunition.

The biggest drug bust over the past two weeks involved the seizure of 560 kg of hashish in one day, in two separate operations, one on the west coast and the other on the northern border in Najran. Security forces captured the smugglers after a shootout.

Earlier, the department caught more than 1,200 people trying to move across the border on a daily basis.

Many people try to enter the Kingdom to find work because of the unstable and poor living conditions in neighboring countries.

Women and children account for 5 percent of infiltrators. Children between 11 and 13 are usually involved in smuggling qat and other drugs.