Police in Al-Ahsa in the Eastern Province have arrested 1,861 undocumented workers from various countries over the past 30 days.

Col. Ziad Abdulwahab Al-Ruqaiti, spokesman of the Eastern Province Police, said raids were carried out in remote villages, suburbs and the city. He said undercover police officers helped to make the arrests.

The Ministry of Interior had earlier advised all illegal expatriates in the Kingdom to correct their work and residency status following the end of the amnesty period on Nov. 1, 2013 or leave the country.

Last year, 101,302 people were arrested across the Eastern Province, Al-Ruqaiti said. He said the police worked with local municipalities and the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice to raid construction sites, retail outlets and public places.

Most of the arrests took place in Dammam, Al-Thuqba, Al-Ahsa and Hafr Al-Batin. Al-Ruqaiti said the authorities are committed to continuing the clampdown on foreigners living in the Kingdom illegally, adding that there are still many people living in the country without proper documentation.

Meanwhile, Jeddah police and security officers arrested 78,088 illegal workers in the region over the past year, according to a report in local media. This included 4,086 beggars, 5,586 illegal workers washing cars on the streets, 59,864 people without identification, 7,745 street vendors and 807 work violators.

Security sources said most of those arrested were Yemeni nationals, comprising mostly beggars, street vendors and smugglers. They were many who did not have identification. Many of the Somalis arrested worked on the streets washing cars. Pakistanis arrested were mainly working for people other than their sponsors.

There were 15,000 people arrested in south Jeddah areas without proper identification, including 2,665 street vendors. There were 1,334 beggars arrested in the west of the city and the corniche area, and 200 for working for people other than their sponsors.

In the north of Jeddah, the police arrested 1,183 people for washing cars on the streets. Most of the arrests across the city took place in the month of Dhul Qadah. The police had made the arrests at checkpoints, and used undercover officers in their operations.