The crackdown on illegal workers continues in Riyadh, with a focus on suspected hubs that provide refuge to undocumented foreign workers.

Police managed to seize 865 illegal expatriates in seven areas, including 16 individuals wanted by Saudi security and five stolen cars.

The campaign was conducted on the instructions of Riyadh Gov. Prince Khaled bin Bandar and his Deputy Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz. Maj. Gen. Saud bin Abdulaziz Al-Hilal, Riyadh police chief, supervised the crackdown.

The undocumented foreigners were of different nationalities and were detained by simultaneous search-and-seize operations, providing no room for escape.

The wanted men, according to the police, have been turned over to the police stations concerned for interrogation and prosecution. Some of the offenders were turned over to the Passport Department for deportation.

Officials will inspect the violators’ documents and those found having committed crimes will receive penalties before they are deported to their countries, read a police statement.

The crackdown began Monday evening and continued until dawn on Tuesday in Alwazarat, Al-Anooz, Thleem, Al-Naseem, Al-Deerah, Al-Shumaisy and Manfouha.

The campaign resulted in the confiscation of five stolen cars in those neighborhoods and another 20 Ethiopian women were arrested in Manfouha for residence and work permit violations. Those women, according to the police, were working on their own accord in a number of houses and selling goods on the sidewalks in the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, police in Asir said they have rounded up 16,444 illegal foreigners in the last three months.

Separately, they arrested 46 drug and liquor traffickers and thwarted a number of smuggling attempts.

Lt. Col. Abdullah Sha’than, spokesman for Asir police, urged citizens and residents not to transport, employ or provide shelter to any violator in any way.